In the spring of 2008, Ecoplans staff members were heading to Parry Sound when they spotted a Blanding's Turtle on the side of the highway.  They stopped to investigate and found that the turtle had been hit by a car and although seriously injured, he was still alive.  Blanding's Turtles are designated as Threatened provincially and federally, and are protected under the Federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). 

Ecoplans' staff transported the turtle to the Parry Sound Animal Hospital and over the next few days, veterinary staff at the clinic tried unsuccessfully to piece the shell back together using epoxy, glue, adhesive tape, and even duct tape.  On the third day they managed to wire the pieces of his shell together, and after consulting a local horse farmer, coated his shell with glue used to repair horse hooves. 

The turtle was taken to the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Rosseau, Ontario (a non-profit, non-government funded rehabilitation centre for injured wildlife to 'convalesce'.   Two and a half weeks after his accident he was released into a wetland adjacent to the location on the highway where he was found.  In time the glue on his shell should fall off and his broken shell should fuse.

Ecoplans would like to express our sincere thanks to the staff at both the Parry Sound Animal Hospital and the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.  The individuals involved worked very hard and were very determined to give this turtle a second chance. 

This story was also printed in the Toronto Zoo's Adopt-A-Pond Wetland Conservation Programme Newsletter Amphibian Voice.

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Global Climate Change is the premier environmental issue of this decade.  Mitigation in the form of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Management (or carbon management) is an issue dominating the media, corporate and government agendas across the world.  Stakeholders and the public are very savvy on GHG issues as shown by carbon neutral events (e.g., the Canadian Football Leagues Gray Cup Game) to buying carbon offsets for air travel.

Ecoplans provides services to develop GHG inventories for municipalities and projects (infrastructure and land development).  Ecoplans can also assist in finding GHG offset opportunities to help counterbalance GHG emissions. 

For more information contact Ecoplans Limited, Kitchener office.

In 2003, Ecoplans Limited and McCormick Rankin Corporation (MRC) were awarded the Canadian Consulting Engineers (CCE) Award of Excellence for their work on the Bayview Avenue Extension project. 

MRC and its subsidiary, Ecoplans, were retained to plan and design the Bayview Avenue Extension between Stouffville Road and Bloomington Road in Richmond Hill.  Given its high environmental and public profile, the project went through both the Class Environmental Assessment and Individual Environmental Assessment study processes.  Two particularly innovative approaches that were developed for the project were:

• a pilot and research project to create  wetland habitat;
• a study of salamander migration (focusing on the rare Jefferson Salamander), and 
• the design of different dedicated  amphibian crossings along the roadway.

These approaches were instrumental in securing agency approvals for the project, and they advanced the science of habitat creation and wildlife crossing design.

The Bayview Avenue Extension project included other environmental aspects such as an unique woodland edge management plan to mitigate the impacts of the roadway on the Jefferson Forest.  An underpass structure was also constructed to enable larger wildlife to cross the road corridor.

The project costs, including roadworks, wetlands, engineering and environmental approvals, totaled $12.6 million.

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McCormick Rankin Corporation (MRC) and MMM Group (MMM) CEO's, are pleased to announce the merger of their firms to form one of Canada's largest privately owned transportation consulting practices with offices across Canada and around the world.

MRC is a highly regarded, transportation focused, Canadian consulting engineering services firm, diversified in sectors that include highway design, transit, and transportation planning.  Similarly, Ecoplans is a leading full service environmental consulting firm.  Both firms will operate under these well recognized names as part of the MMM Group.

MMM is a full-service project management, engineering, planning and geomatics firm with a wide range of projects in both the public and private sectors, in Canada and abroad.  MMM is a leader in the growing field of alternative delivery projects such as design-build or P3s, for transportation and institutional building projects.

The merger deepens MRC's and MMM's transportation and environmental practices while offering MRC clients a broader range of services in planning, building engineering, and geomatics services.

Combining aspects of their environmental expertise under the well respected Ecoplans name will further strengthen the firms' ability to provide a full range of high quality and timely environmental consulting services.

Bob has been an active member and officer of TAC since 1990 and co-chair to the task group recommending the establishment of TAC's Environmental Council in 1991.  He also chaired the Environmental Issues Management Standing Committee for several years and has been a long standing member of TAC's Maintenance and Construction Standing Committee and Road Salt Management Sub-Committee.  Bob also drafted the first TAC Environmental Policy and Code of Ethics and shepherded its adoption by all provincial and territorial transportation departments.

The Environmental Management Plan that governed the construction, operation and maintenance of the Red Hill Valley Parkway was a highly controversial project that won accolades for its environmental sensitivity including winning TAC's prestigious Environmental Achievement Award. 

The development and implementation of the Environmental Management System for the Fredericton-Moncton Highway Project in New Brunswick also won TAC's Environmental Achievement Award.