What’s in it for ME? Municipal Issues Panel Role of Local Governments in Effective Land Management
What’s in it for me? Grand River Conservation Authority –Geography –Present practices Regional Municipality of Waterloo –Engineering Results –Planning Solutions City of Waterloo –Environment First Policy –Process & Implementation
Regional Municipality of Waterloo Upper-Tier Municipality Legislative responsibility for –water supply –wastewater treatment –environmental protection
Regional Official Plan Policies for Water Resources Protection
Water protection a key principle in OP adopted by Regional Council in 1994 Direct public and private sector expenditures and partnerships Policies include: master planning, servicing hierarchy, watershed studies and water resource protection Regional Official Plan Policy Development
30 Year Wastewater Master Plan Long Term Water Strategy 10 Watershed/Sub-Watershed Studies Guidelines for Hydrological Studies for Privately Serviced Development Design Standards for Communal Water Systems Guidelines for the Use of Communal Wastewater Treatment Systems Regional Official Plan Regional Response
Grand River Phosphorus Loads
Types of Projects
Rural Water Quality Program Grants to Farmers (50% to 75%) Capital and operating costs Water Quality Improvement $1.5 million Region funding Many Partners –Local and provincial farm groups –Provincial agencies –GRCA
“We the Council of the City of Waterloo are committed to assessing potential environmental impacts in all city services and programs as part of decision making and to take actions that are within our legal abilities in order to optimize environmental benefit (April 24, 1991)” Environment First Policy
Political Champion & Will (Living the Paradigm Shift) Staff Champion & Commitment Community Champion & (Public) Stewardship
LAUREL CREEK WATERSHED STUDY ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO COUNCIL OF THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF WATERLOO COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATERLOO LAUREL CREEK WATERSHED ROUNDTABLE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Biologists Hydrogeologists Planners Engineers Etc. Recommendation Makers Decision Makers
LAUREL CREEK WATERSHED STUDY ROUNDTABLE STAKEHOLDERS CITY OF WATERLOO PROVINCE OF ONTARIO Ministry of Natural Resources Ministry of Environment GRAND RIVER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY REGION OF WATERLOO UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO PRIVATE SECTOR PLANNING & ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS PRIVATE DEVELOPERS & LANDOWNERS BUSINESS GROUPS RURAL TOWNSHIPS WITHIN THE WATERSHED ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS THE PARTNERSHIP CITY OF KITCHENER
Celebrating 10 Years of Laurel Creek Watershed Planning Achievements
The Maturing of Environmental Policy Implementation Political Sustainability Customer Equality Priming the Pump Community Awareness & Stewardship
What’s in it for US? Municipal Issues Panel Role of Local Governments in Effective Land Management Political Champion Staff Champion Community Champion
This presentation was prepared coöperatively by Mike Murray, Director of Water Services, Regional Municipality of Waterloo Kevin Eby, Manager of Development Planning, Regional Municipality of Waterloo Paul Emerson, Manager of Planning and Resources Coördination. Grand River Conservation Authority Brian Trushinski, Environmental Coördinator. City of Waterloo Charlene Vantyghiem, GIS Coördinator (and Cartographer), City of Waterloo Corie Kelly, Technical Trainer, City of Waterloo Coordinated by Janice Kroetsch, Executive Assistant to the Regional Chair, Regional Municipality of Waterloo Teresa Soulliere, Administrative Assistant to the Councillors, City of Waterloo Presented by Lynne Woolstencroft, Councillor Regional Municipality of Waterloo and City of Waterloo Board member, Grand River Conservation Authority