Property Value Protection ProgramSypher Newsletter |
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In 1932, a private company Eldorado Gold Mines Ltd. opened a radium refining facility in the Town of Port Hope on the north shore of Lake Ontario. During the Second World War the emphasis of production shifted from radium to the refining of uranium. During the early years of plant operations, a number of properties and sites in the town became contaminated with low-level radioactive materials. In response to significant community concern during the mid-nineteen seventies, the Atomic Energy Control Board undertook a large-scale radiation reduction program in the area. Between 1976 and 1981, over one hundred thousand tons of contaminated soil was safely removed and transported to a long term waste management site at the Chalk River Laboratories of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL). Nonetheless, some low level radiation issues remained and the Government of Canada and the local municipalities signed an agreement, which committed the Federal government to complete the clean-up and construction of three long-term waste management facilities for low-level radioactive waste in the Port Hope area. The Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) is a ten year program to cleanup, store and manage the low-level radioactive waste material. As part of the agreement, the federal government committed to the establishment of a Property Value Protection (PVP) Program to provide a process whereby owners, within the designated PHAI boundaries, can claim compensation for loss of value at the time of sale of their property, loss of rental income, or difficulties in renewing mortgages if the loss or difficulty can be attributable to the clean-up initiative. Sypher was retained in May 2001 to complete the design and coordinate the initial implementation of the program. The scope of Sypher's engagement included finalizing the initial design of the program, the development of the compensation processes, identification of resource requirements and recruitment of program staff, consultation with stakeholders including federal and municipal officials and representatives of the financial services and real estate community. Sypher also prepared a communication and community liaison strategy for the PVP Program. In addition, Sypher worked with Public Works and Government Services Canada in the establishment of baseline property information and the development of a decision support database, which will be used to help analyze claims for compensation. Despite the short time frame, the PVP Program opened its doors for business on October 1, 2001. |