WATERSHED PLANNING
ERCA assists municipalities in watershed planning to meet Planning Act/Provincial Policy Statement responsibilities by identifying natural hazard and natural heritage features and providing policy support and advice related to natural heritage systems, development and stormwater servicing, water quality and natural resource planning concerns.
2019 Achievements
- • Over 900 planning applications were submitted to ERCA under the Planning Act (Zoning By-Law amendments, minor variances, consents, etc.). ERCA's review assists landowners and municipalities in reducing risks associated with flooding and erosion and protecting natural heritage, and ensures best practices for sustainable communities are being incorporated in planning and development. 2020 Pressures
- • ERCA staff reviewed 13 Official Plans and secondary plans to ensure local planning decisions address ERCA provincial delegated authority responsibilities relative to natural hazards and to continue to advise local municipalities on natural heritage matters.
- • ERCA responses to Province of Environmental Registry of Ontario policy consultations including the Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, 10-Year Review of Endangered Species Act, Bill 66 (Restoring Ontario's Competitiveness Act, 2018), Conservation Authority permitting, and programs and services under Bill 108 (More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019), updates to the Canada Ontario Agreement, and changes to the Provincial Policy Statement among others.
2020 Actions
- • Undertake consultations and finalize ERCA's Place for Life Policies related to plan review and permitting processes in the region, and integrate related policies associated with other ERCA programs and services and to ensure consistency with recent changes to the Conservation Authorities Act (2017, 2019) and current provincial direction and best practices.
- • Negotiate Memorandum of Understanding for Planning Services with municipalities to provide clarity around ERCA's involvement in plan input and review of planning applications under the Planning Act as an agency with provincially delegated responsibility for the natural hazards; as a municipal technical advisor; as a public body and as a landowner.
2020 Pressures
- • Uncertainty around legislative amendments and provincial review of conservation authority permitting processes and how that will impact delivery
- • Capacity to become fully engaged in Municipal Official Plan processes to ensure natural hazards/ heritage reflected in long-range planning while continuing to support operational planning and applications with same capacity
- • Challenges with taking a proactive approach to planning to address urban growth, climate change, environmental degradation and the relationships between growth and resilience.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
ERCA administers the Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alteration to Shorelines and Watercourses Regulation, approved by the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry and known as Ontario Regulation 158/06, as amended. The Regulation allows ERCA to control development within hazardous lands through a permitting process. These lands could be unsafe for development because of naturally occurring processes associated with flooding, erosion, unstable soils, dynamic beaches, unstable slopes or in areas where conservation of lands could be impacted by development. Our goal is to reduce risk to life, prevent damage to property, and reduce social disruptions resulting from natural hazards.