February 25, 2026– Indigenous Services Canada must determine whether the proposed Matachewan Landfill and Septic Holding Pit Closure Project, located in Matachewan First Nation is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. To help inform this determination, Indigenous Services Canada is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination.

Written comments must be submitted by March 25, 2026 to:

ISC Environmental Officer: Aaron Pervais

100 Anemki Place, Suite 101, Fort William First Nation

Aaron.pervais2@sac-isc.gc.ca

The Proposed Project

The community of Matachewan First Nation is located approximately 45 km west of
Kirkland Lake and is accessed by a 14 km gravel road from Highway 66 near the town of
Matachewan, Ontario. The Landfill and Septic Holding Pits Site (also herein referred to as the "Site") is located 650 m south of the MFN community and is approximately 1.5 ha. The Active Landfill
was established around 1975-1980 for disposal of solid waste generated from the MFN
community. The types of waste disposed at the Site include household waste,
construction and demolition waste, metals, appliances, tires, plastics, glass and organic
material (brush). Waste was placed in excavated trenches and covered with the
excavated material when the trench was filled. Some surficial wastes are present at the
Site, including: scrap metal; tires; appliances; concrete; windblown waste in surrounding
areas; wood waste; etc. There is a shooting range with a shooting stand and soil berm
backstop located south of the waste disposition areas. The work consists of performing closure activities for the Landfill and Septic Holding Pits and includes the following:

1. Conduct a pre-construction topographic survey of the landfill and septic holding
pits area. Notify Engineer of results, including any discrepancies in measured
elevations compared to Contract Drawings that may materially alter the work.
2. Decommission existing monitoring well H0B.
3. Clear and grub areas required to complete the Work.
4. Remove and recycle surface waste including plastics, tires, concrete, appliances
and scrap metal to offsite licenced receiving facilities.
5. Excavate additional waste buried waste trench adjacent to current active waste
trench. Stockpile excavated waste-free native soil for future use.

6. Collect windblown/scattered waste and non-recyclable surface waste and place in
additional buried waste trench once the active buried waste trench is full. All
waste placed in additional buried waste trench shall be compacted.
7. Remove liquids and sludge from septic holding pits and dispose at offsite
licenced disposal facility.
8. Remove solid sediments and sand and gravel layers overlying geosynthetic clay
liner (GCL) in septic pits and dispose at offsite licenced disposal facility.
9. Remove GCL underlying septic holding pits and dispose in additional buried
waste disposition trench.
10. Backfill septic holding pits excavation.
11. Install final cover to buried waste areas as indicated in the Construction
Drawings. Final Cover shall consist of compacted Granular A in future
traversable areas of the Site and stockpiled native sand and imported select
subgrade material (SSM) in future non-traversable areas of the Site.
12. Install post-and-wire farm fence with gates around non-traversable areas with
final cover as shown on the Construction Drawings.
13. Regrade and reinstate the ground outside of cover areas to provide positive
drainage.
14. Excavate and install ditching as shown in the Construction Drawings.
15. Apply topsoil and hydroseed on specified final cover and regraded areas.
16. Install five (5) groundwater monitoring wells and three (3) landfill gas
monitoring wells as shown on the Construction Drawings.
17. Supply and place waste transfer bins as directed by the Owner/Engineer.
18. Conduct a post-construction topographic survey of the areas impacted by the work.
19. Contractor to complete a final as-built drawing set of the Site, which is to include
a survey of all remaining features, including final backfilled grades and the top of
casing of all groundwater (new and existing) and landfill gas monitoring wells.
Final as-built drawing set shall be completed in AutoCAD and as-built locations
of features to be accurate within 300 mm in lateral directions. Elevations to be
accurate the 10 mm.