2025 Brownie Award Winners

The 26th annual Brownie Awards were presented on November 13, 2025.

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REPROGRAM: LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PROGRAM INITIATIVES

Guelph: Removing Environmental Barriers at a Municipal-Wide Scale – Guelph, Ontario

The City of Guelph has developed innovative, evidence-based programs to overcome barriers to brownfield redevelopment, including setting defensible background soil values and creating a municipal risk-mapping system. These initiatives reduce costs, streamline permitting, and provide clear data for decision-making, making Guelph a replicable model of sustainable soil management and community regeneration.

Project Team 

City of Guelph and Geosyntec International Consultants.

REMEDIATE: SUSTAINABLE REMEDIATION

Pétromont: Réhabilitation environnementale d’un ancien terrain d’usine – Varennes, Quebec

After ceasing petrochemical operations in 2008, Pétromont’s former Varennes site was remediated by Englobe, transforming 85,000 m² of contaminated land into a thriving residential and commercial hub. Using onsite soil treatment with native microorganisms and in-house technologies, over 700,000 m³ of soil was restored sustainably, avoiding massive transport impacts. The decade-long project attracted major companies, created jobs, and boosted the regional economy.

Project Team

Englobe – Project management, Design and Engineering, Field Team, Direction and Administrative teams.

REMEDIATE: TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

PCB Free Product Boundary Control and Encapsulation – Mississauga, Ontario

This Mississauga brownfield, long burdened by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), solvents, and failed remediation attempts, is being transformed into a safe, revenue-generating property. A first-of-its-kind 1,000+ ft funnel-and-gate permeable reactive barrier with zero-valent iron (ZVI)-carbon media was installed to contain and treat contaminants, while additional measures addressed hotspots and vapour intrusion. The approach enables redevelopment while avoiding costly off-site soil disposal.

Project Team

Montcrest Asset Management, Pinchin Ltd., Green Infrastructure Partners Inc., and VEI Contracting Inc.

RESTRATEGIZE: PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Coral Harbour Inuit Capacity Building Program for Remediation of a Former Military Site – Southampton Island, Nunavut

In Nunavut’s remote Coral Harbour, a Cold War–era radar site burdened with fuel, asbestos, and contaminated soils was remediated under the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan. Led by the Inuit-owned Salumaq Environmental Contracting Inc., the project combined cleanup with reconciliation through local training, workforce development, and community-driven decision-making. The result is not just environmental restoration, but a powerful model of regeneration shaped by and for the community.

Project Team

Sudliq Developments Ltd. (SDL), Public Works and Government Services Canada, Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc., local Inuit workforce and community members via SDL.

REBUILD: PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AT THE BUILDING SCALE

Charlie West – Kitchener, Ontario

Charlie West in downtown Kitchener transformed a contaminated former industrial site into a vibrant condominium community through extensive cleanup and public incentives. The project sparked the creation of Gaukel Street’s pedestrian promenade, now a hub for arts and community events, while promoting transit use and walkable urban living. It highlights how brownfield redevelopment can deliver environmental, cultural, and social benefits.

Project Team

Momentum Developments (Co-Developer), Zehr Group (Construction Manager and Co-Development), MTE Consultants Inc. (Engineering and Environmental Consultant), ABA Architects (Architectural Design), and City of Kitchener & Region of Waterloo (Municipality partners and Brownfield Financial Incentive Providers).

REBUILD: PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AT THE NEIGHBOURHOOD SCALE

Richmond Yards – Halifax, Nova Scotia

Richmond Yards in Halifax transformed the former Acadian Bus Lines terminal into a mixed-use community with housing, green space, and commercial amenities. One of Nova Scotia’s largest remediation projects, it removed over 68,000 tonnes of contaminated soil, 31,000 tonnes of polluted bedrock, and 205,000 tonnes of acidic slate. The redevelopment reconnects the urban grid, adds plazas and parks, and creates a walkable, transit-friendly neighbourhood that supports residents and local businesses.

Project Team

FBM, Westwood Group, Bird Construction, Englobe, and BMR.

REFOCUS: VISION OF ALTERNATIVE BENEFITS TO BROWNFIELDS REMEDIATION

Dow’s Lake Revitalization – Ottawa, Ontario

Dow’s Lake in Ottawa, once limited by industrial contamination, was reopened for public swimming in June 2025 after the NCC led studies and risk assessments showing negligible health risks. A floating dock now provides safe deep-water access, protecting swimmers from shoreline sediments. The project revitalizes a historic UNESCO waterbody, reconnects the community to its waterfront, and has already welcomed over 75,000 visitors in its first season.

Project Team 

National Capital Commission (NCC) , SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd., Baird Consulting Group, Carleton University (Dr. Sean Landsman, PhD), and Parks Canada.

BEST SMALL PROJECT

University of Ottawa, Faculty of Health Sciences – Ottawa, Ontario

University of Ottawa transformed a contaminated former industrial site into a LEED Platinum, 240,000 sq. ft. Faculty of Health Sciences building that is among Canada’s lowest-energy university facilities. Completed in 2023, it diverts over 90 per cent of construction waste, uses 57 per cent less energy, and integrates biodiversity with restored meadows and forests. The project showcases sustainable regeneration by reconnecting the site to the river and transit while honouring Indigenous design and fostering interdisciplinary learning.

Project Team

University of Ottawa – Facilities Services (Construction Management), Geosyntec Consultants (Environmental and Geotechnical Engineering), PCL Constructors Canada (Builder), WSP Canada (Engineering services), and Architecture49 (Architect and landscape architect partner).

BEST LARGE PROJECT

Galleria on the Park – Toronto, ON

The Galleria Shopping Centre site in Toronto, once a thriving 1970s mall, is now being redeveloped after years of decline. Beneath its greyfield façade lies a brownfield legacy from early 20th-century manufacturing, mall-era dry cleaners, a gas station, and contaminated backfill. Remediation is essential to address these risks and unlock the site’s potential for renewal. This large, master-planned multi-use development aims to create a vibrant neighbourhood that blends urban living with ample green space and community amenities.

Project Team

Almadev (Developer), Urban Strategies (Planning and Engagement Consultants), Core Architects (Architects – Galleria 01 & 02), Perkins & Will (Architects – new Wallace Emerson Community Centre), and Terrapex (Environmental, Geotechnical, and Hydrogeological Consultants).

BEST OVERALL PROJECT

Biidaasige Park – Toronto, Ontario

Biidaasige Park transformed 20 hectares of brownfield on Toronto’s eastern waterfront into the city’s largest new park in a generation, while realigning the Don River to protect 174 hectares from flooding. The project remediated 1.4 million m³ of soil, created a vibrant naturalized landscape with 5,000 trees and extensive plantings, and opened the first public space on the new island, Ookwemin Minising. Beyond recreation, it unlocks land for 15,000 future residents, 3,000 jobs, and 39 hectares of new housing development.

Project Team

Waterfront Toronto, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Jacobs, Geosyntec, and EllisDon.

BROWNFIELDER OF THE YEAR

Joe Chowaniec

For over 30 years, Joe has been a pillar of Alberta’s environmental community—a visionary leader, mentor, and the driving force behind RemTech, the premier conference for the remediation industry. Through his dedication to the Environmental Services Association of Alberta, he’s built connections, inspired collaboration, and helped raise over $1.2 million for charity. Beyond his professional impact, Joe’s curiosity, kindness, and love of photography have inspired everyone who’s had the pleasure to know him. As he steps into retirement, we celebrate his remarkable legacy and the difference he’s made in our industry and our lives.

For detailed descriptions of all the winning projects and project champions, click here.