Table 2 vs Table 3 soil in Ontario: the difference

Side by side

Item	Table 2	Table 3
Official name	Full Depth Generic Site Condition Standards in a Potable Ground Water Condition	Full Depth Generic Site Condition Standards in a Non-Potable Ground Water Condition
Ground water	A source of drinking water	Not a source of drinking water
Property-use columns	Agricultural or other. Residential, parkland and institutional. Industrial, commercial and community.	Residential, parkland and institutional. Industrial, commercial and community.
Strictness	Generally stricter	Generally less strict
For soil leaving a site	Table 2.1	Table 3.1
2027 landfill rule	Applies to soil that meets the Table 2.1 residential, parkland and institutional column, or cleaner	Does not apply to soil that only meets Table 3.1
At our locations	Both locations take it	Both locations take it

Item

Table 2

Table 3

Official name

Full Depth Generic Site Condition Standards in a Potable Ground Water Condition

Full Depth Generic Site Condition Standards in a Non-Potable Ground Water Condition

Ground water

A source of drinking water

Not a source of drinking water

Property-use columns

Agricultural or other. Residential, parkland and institutional. Industrial, commercial and community.

Residential, parkland and institutional. Industrial, commercial and community.

Strictness

Generally stricter

Generally less strict

For soil leaving a site

Table 2.1

Table 3.1

2027 landfill rule

Applies to soil that meets the Table 2.1 residential, parkland and institutional column, or cleaner

Does not apply to soil that only meets Table 3.1

At our locations

Both locations take it

What it means on a job

Soil that meets Table 2.1 generally has more places to go. Soil that only meets Table 3.1 needs a destination approved for it.

From January 1, 2027 the cleaner soil can no longer be landfilled, so it needs a reuse site or a transfer site. The 2027 rule in plain terms.

Table 2 or 2.1, Table 3 or 3.1

Tables 2 and 3 are site condition standards under O. Reg. 153/04. Tables 2.1 and 3.1 are the matching excess soil standards under O. Reg. 406/19, and they are the ones that apply to soil leaving a site.

Questions

Does soil that meets Table 2 also meet Table 3?

Generally yes, because Table 2 is the stricter set. Your qualified person confirms it parameter by parameter.

Which one applies to my site?

It depends on whether ground water at the site is a source of drinking water, among other conditions in the regulation. A qualified person makes that call.

Do you take both?

Yes. Both locations take soil that meets Table 2.1 or Table 3.1.

This page is a plain-language summary, not legal or technical advice. The regulation, the Soil Rules and each approval govern.

Table 2 vs Table 3 soil: the difference

Side by side

What it means on a job

Table 2 or 2.1, Table 3 or 3.1

Questions

Send your lab results. Get a written answer.