NEW STANDARD INTRODUCED IN NOVEMBER 2001

According to the Canadian Standards Association, the Records Review should be the first activity in a Phase 1 ESA.  CSA Standard Z768-01 states that the review should provide the Assessor with an in-depth understanding of the site history, knowledge of a range of possibilities with respect to contamination and documentable facts with respect to actual contamination.  Information should be collected and assessed back to the property’s first usage or to the extent that historical information allows.  Since neighbouring properties may also affect, or be affected, by the property being assessed, they also need to be included in appropriate site assessment practices.

Information required in the Records Review includes:

• Aerial photographs for evaluating historical land usage of the subject and surrounding properties
• Property use records such as fire insurance maps, city directory searches and contaminated site and property-use registries where available
• Title search and assessment rolls to research both historical and current land ownership
• Previous Phase 1 report evaluation
• Company record search for useful documents such as building plans, environmental monitoring data, waste management records…
• Geological and geotechnical reports on the environmental condition of subject property
• Regulatory information to be collected related to permits, prosecutions/control orders/work orders/complaints or any violations

The following information is optional for a Records Review:

• Geological and soil maps
• Topographic maps
• Agreement of purchase and sale
• Land use documents
• Public health concern
• Utility company records
• Local information sources

Sources of Information for the Records Review include: