Ontario Endangered Species Act Permit (Overall Benefit Permit – Butternut Trees) for the Citigate Corporate Campus
Retained by Strandherd Road Inc. (Regional Group of Companies), Ottawa, Ontario, 2014-2020
The Citigate Corporate Campus is a 170 acre land development project that includes a dedicated corporate campus, a dense retail core, and an auto mall. This self-contained business community was designed to fuel economic growth in the western part of Ottawa, and is home to Tomlinson Group’s national headquarters. In 2020, Amazon chose the Site to host the largest industrial building in Ottawa: Amazon’s new 2.7 million square foot high tech fulfillment center. Once complete, the new Amazon facility will be the largest of its kind in eastern Ontario, employing approximately 1,000 people.
Dr. McKinley supported the realization of the Citigate Corporate Campus by facilitating the obtainment of an Overall Benefit Permit under the Ontario Endangered Species Act. The Permit was required due to the presence of endangered Butternut Trees. In order to compensate for the removal of Butternut Trees and their habitat, Dr. McKinley designed and coordinated implementation of a Butternut Tree habitat compensation program. The Overall Benefit Permit was uniquely structured in order to provide a ‘pre-approval’ for tree removal, thereby ensuring that future land users were authorized to clear trees and build on the Site with short notice.
Amazon’s New High Tech Fulfillment Facility (Under Construction)
Role: Senior Biologist