Careers

Paragon Services

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Our Services

Oil Sands

Our clients’ focus on well-integrated planning and operational reclamation in the oil sands has increased over time. We recognise that decisions made even before development is started will impact closure and reclamation options, and so Paragon works at all stages and scales of client operations from environmental approvals, renewals, and developing reclamation plans to salvaging, placement and revegetation. We have demonstrated skill in practical reclamation planning, supporting client operations from salvage of soil to management of construction and reclamation sites, designing soil placement and vegetation prescriptions and then working on site to supervise and complete accurate reclamation activities. Our clients have recognized Paragon’s abilities by deploying fulltime Paragon site teams over multiple years, and by having Paragon complete regulatory submissions that span the full lifetime of their development areas.

• Construction and Reclamation Supervision
• Reclamation and Closure Planning
• Regulatory Support and Permitting
• Landform Design
• Research and Monitoring
• Revegetation and Monitoring
• Pre-Disturbance Assessments

Pipelines

The regulatory environment for pipeline projects is complex, and pipeline owners must consider numerous reclamation scenarios while navigating approvals, project planning, landowner relations, sensitive areas, and space limitations. Paragon was instrumental in pioneering the use of soil monitors for pipeline construction and reclamation, and we continue to find innovative ways to help pipeline clients achieve operational objectives while conserving our soil resources. Paragon provides cradle-to-grave service from pre-construction survey through reclamation execution and monitoring which allows for increased efficiencies through the life of a project. We cross-train our employees through all phases of a project which provides a unique all-encompassing approach that gives clients added benefit during final monitoring and assessments.

• Construction and Reclamation Supervision
• Environmental Inspection
• Pre- and Post-Construction Assessments
• Regulatory Support and Permitting
• Pre-Disturbance Assessments

Soils

Soil has been a specialty focus for Paragon since our company’s inception. The expertise of our technical staff has been demonstrated in our authorship of reference materials and guidelines for Alberta, and our extensive research and publication record in soil science. Paragon’s multi-year client list shows that this expertise is effectively deployed in the field – we are specialists in cradle-to-grave soil characterization, protection, and reclamation, and we complete all scales of soil baseline, operational support and soil conservation, reclamation placement and monitoring, and long-term soil development monitoring. Paragon is regularly asked to provide expert witness support for client hearings, and we pride ourselves on our ability to think beyond current regulation and industry practice with research and novel soil management options to support our clients’ development plans.

• Soil Survey and Inventory
• Regulatory Support and Permitting
• Environmental Impact Assessments
• Environmental Inspection
• Pre- & Post-Construction Assessments
• Research & Monitoring

Mining

Reclaiming mining areas to an equivalent land capability is a complex process guided by regulatory bodies, and a variety of guidelines and best practices gathered from mining industries, scientific research groups, and inputs from various stakeholders and local communities. Paragon has supported a variety of mines including coal, oil sands, uranium, gold, and other base metal mines. We have extensive experience applying our technical expertise in operational settings through construction and reclamation monitoring and have advanced reclamation best practices over the years. Paragon’s technical team have supported our mining clients throughout the regulatory process by conducting baseline assessments, designing and implementing mine reclamation plans, and completing long term soil and vegetation monitoring. Paragon has experience working in prairie, foothills, and boreal forest ecoregions, and reclamation plans are tailored to each client’s site-specific soil and landscape conditions. Our technical expertise allows us to merge new reclamation best practices with the operational requirements of our clients.

• Construction and Reclamation Supervision
• Reclamation and Closure Planning
• Regulatory Support and Permitting
• Landform Design
• Research and Monitoring
• Revegetation and Monitoring
• Pre-Disturbance Assessments

Peat Harvest

Paragon provides comprehensive regulatory and technical support to Peat Harvest Developers, applying our expertise in wetlands, soil, vegetation, reclamation, GIS, and AutoCAD to prepare peat harvest applications. Our interdisciplinary team helps clients navigate a complex regulatory framework, from peat exploration and approval through to closure and reclamation. We apply our knowledge of ecology and regulatory requirements to identify peat harvest development constraints prior to fieldwork. Field characterization of peatland depth and harvestable peat quality during the application process informs client operational decisions. The data we collect is used to evaluate potential project impacts, and provides the basis for the various reports and plans required for peat harvest applications. We have successfully completed a wide range of services, including pre-exploration desktop assessments, SME applications, SML applications, operational design and closure planning, post-application supplemental information requests, and operational water monitoring on Private and Public land.

• Regulatory Support and Permitting
• Wetland Assessments
• Pre-Disturbance Assessments
• Reclamation and Closure Planning
• Soil Survey and Inventory
• Revegetation and Monitoring

Biosecurity and Vegetation Management

Whether on Public or Private land, project proponents and operators need to be mindful of biosecurity and weed control requirements through all phases of a project. Paragon has proven knowledge of the regulatory requirements of biosecurity and vegetation management programs and has a wealth of experience developing and safely executing them. We have led successful, multi-year vegetation management programs for numerous clients, providing services from weed identification, to herbicide application, seeding and planting, and geospatial tracking. Our biosecurity experience includes the development of clubroot management plans for multi-stakeholder groups, and soil sampling and monitoring for clubroot from pre- to post-construction. Through our extensive experience, our expanding team of ecologists is able to provide our clients with effective, evidence-based treatment recommendations that follow provincial guidelines and best management practices. We take pride in our ability to develop and safely execute biosecurity and vegetation management plans for our clients that suit their individual needs, with the flexibility to adjust as conditions change over the life of a project.

• Bioengineering
• Revegetation and Monitoring
• Research and Monitoring
• Reclamation and Closure Planning

Vegetation & Wetlands

Paragon’s vegetation and wetlands team is deployed across Canada, completing client work that ranges from baseline characterization to reclamation research programs to develop revegetation techniques in a range of industrial developments. Our expanding vegetation team has a long history of safely executing field programs in remote and industrial areas, and our practical approach to handling specialist issues like seed collection, rare plant identification and management, wetland evaluation and protection, weed management, and effective revegetation techniques means that we have a comprehensive view of vegetation programs. Paragon is at the forefront of vegetation and wetlands research that seeks viable and effective reclamation techniques for our clients, and our extensive vegetation sampling experience means that our clients expect and receive excellent data for their projects from pre-disturbance to long-term reclamation planning and monitoring.

• Revegetation and monitoring
• Bioengineering
• Environmental Impact Assessments
• Regulatory Support and Permitting
• Wetland Assessments
• Pre- and Post-Construction Assessments

Research & Training

Paragon is committed to advancing knowledge of the environment and promoting reclamation best practices that help to protect, conserve, and restore natural environments. Through our corporate experience and knowledgeable personnel we have developed expertise in research, training, education, and facilitation. Our team have been published in top ranking international/national peer-reviewed journals (Journal of Ecology, Canadian Journal of Soil Science, Annals of Botany), and in collaboration with leaders in their associated fields. We have experience developing frameworks for collecting and assessing data, and our team of professionals leverage their knowledge and experience to develop courses, workshops, and field tours that focus on soil, vegetation, and wetlands as they pertain to development and reclamation. Paragon’s focus on research is tightly tied to improving and expanding the effectiveness of our client projects and advancing industry knowledge through projects for the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA), Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA), and university research in several provinces.

• Research and Monitoring
• Training Seminars and Workshops
• Regulatory Support and Permitting