Coke Ovens Contract Awarded

The most substantial part of the Coke Ovens cleanup has started with the awarding of a $15.2 million contract to collect and treat groundwater flowing over the site.

MB2/Beaver Marine Joint Venture, a partnership between a First Nations contractor and a non-aboriginal Nova Scotian company, was awarded the contract to construct a ground water collection system and a water treatment plant at the former Coke Ovens property. The work is expected to begin in August and be completed in spring, 2010.

"The progress on this cleanup project is truly admirable," said Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence. "This contract will assist the people of Sydney by creating a number of jobs and ensures the greater community will enjoy a safer and more environmentally-friendly future."

When completed, underground pipes will collect groundwater flowing over the Coke Ovens site and transport it to the on-site water treatment plant. Once the water is treated and meets acceptable freshwater guidelines, it will be released into Coke Ovens Brook. Water from the brook will eventually drain into an engineered channel that will wind through the Tar Ponds site until it reaches Sydney Harbour. The channel will also capture other sources of water that drain into the ponds.

"This contract will connect major components of remediation work already underway at the Coke Ovens and Tar Ponds site," said Bill Estabrooks, Minister responsible for the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency. "The community will soon see the overall cleanup plan come to life."

In January 2007, the government of Canada and province of Nova Scotia committed $400 million to ensure the cleanup is completed by 2014.