Since 2009, has operated as a civil, geotechnical, and environmental remediation contractor, specializing in contaminated soils management, environmental remediation, and habitat restoration. Environmental solutions for government, industrial, commercial, and residential clients are their focus.
Steve Rosell, Senior Vice-President considers the company the “peak of excellence in environmental service, with a commitment to quality and integrity for our clients.”
What sets Summit Earthworks apart from their competitors? “Providing that diversity of services is our strength,” he says. “The niche work we do, specifically the wide range of specialized environmental solutions we provide, and the fact that we own and operate several provincially permitted soil management facilities in B.C. separates us from our competitors in the soil management and environmental remediation industry. Summit Earthworks operates soil management facilities in Mission and in New Westminster, plus a wood waste landfill in Quesnel which also includes a contaminated soil bioremediation facility.
For many of us not in the business, there is some confusion as to what ‘contaminated soil’ means. Rosell explains that “contaminated soil doesn’t always mean toxic or hazardous in our industry, the standards classify soil based on land use, such as residential, commercial, industrial or hazardous waste soil – which we don’t accept the latter, but we do manage projects and direct them to places that can deal with it."
Summit is a COR and ISNetworld certified contractor and works closely with developers, environmental, geotechnical, and civil consultants. They have a sterling reputation when it comes to completing large, complex projects on time and within budget and an excellent relationship with Indigenous communities, including a dedicated professional on staff that has been working with First Nations around the province for years.
A recent success is the completion of “an interesting project at a very remote work site in the B.C. interior,” says Rosell.
“We worked with a local First Nation to construct a new solid waste management centre for this community. There were no roads in, it is very remote, and all the equipment had to be barged and floated upriver. We built the centre and removed all the existing waste. One of the challenges are the tidal swings in the river. In fact, the community can be completely flooded at times.”
Another notable achievement, Summit was nominated as a national finalist in 2019 for a “Brownie Award”, a recognition in brownfield remediation from the Canadian Brownfields Network for the Wren + Raven Development, a local residential project in Mission.
The accolades are shared by the entire Summit team, that Rosell believes is key to the company’s success.
“Our strength of services comes from our vast team experience,” he says. “We have environmental science professionals, chemical engineers, habitat and biology experts on staff – it’s our depth of talent that matters.”
The company has grown from 28 employees two years ago to the present staff of 73, clearly rising above the challenges of a global pandemic.
When it comes to supporting the environment, has Summit Earthworks made a difference, especially under the public microscope these days?
“Health and safety are a huge consideration for the public, our staff, and the environment,” Rosell says. “We do sensitive marine work, have a responsible method for managing contaminated soil, and provide solutions versus illegal dumping.”
A good example of habitat restoration by Summit is the Thames Creek project in North Vancouver. “The riverbanks were eroding and impacting several of the residents, so we diverted the water, rebuilt, and reinforced the riverbanks and then restored the flow back into the creek,” he says. “It was very successful for the district.”Growth and expansion continues for Summit. They are beginning construction on a new engineer designed soil transfer facility along the shores of the Fraser River near Annacis Island The facility which is expected to be operational before year end.
Within the next 5 years, Summit Earthworks also has plans to expand into B.C.’s north coast, including Kitimat, Prince Rupert, and the Terrace region. Prince George and Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Island are also of interest for this growing company that’s worth watching.
Summit Earthworks is featured in the 2021 Environmental Excellence in B.C. magazine.
