Fish Habitat Impact Assessment, Fisheries Act Authorization, and Design of a Fish Habitat Compensation Program for the Ontario Trap Rock Quarry Dock Expansion
Retained by Ontario Trap Rock (a division of Tomlinson Group), Lake Huron (Bruce Mines), Ontario, 2016-2019
Dr. McKinley completed a Fish Habitat Impact Assessment to support the expansion of Ontario Trap Rock Quarry’s loading and docking facility, which is located on the northern shore of Lake Huron, east of Bruce Mines, Ontario. Ontario Trap Rock Quarry is an aggregate producer which exports large volumes of aggregate product by ship to Canadian and US markets. The Fish Habitat Impact Assessment included scuba and snorkel transects to survey the fish habitat and collect underwater photographs. Dr. McKinley completed mapping of the fish habitat and characterized the fish community using data provided by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Working on behalf of Ontario Trap Rock Quarry, Dr. McKinley designed a Fish Habitat Compensation Program and obtained a Fisheries Act Authorization to meet federal regulatory requirements. He also assisted in fulfilling consultation requirements with local First Nations stakeholders, including the Garden River First Nation and the Thessalon First Nation. This included making presentations at public meetings held with the First Nations communities.
Site of the Ontario Trap Rock Quarry Dock Expansion
Role: Senior Biologist