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8. CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES
2006 LEVIES
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council approve the 2006 general and
special levies as presented in schedule A for the following:
1.
Rideau Valley
Conservation Authority,
2.
South Nation
Conservation Authority and the
3.
Mississippi
Valley Conservation Authority
RECOMMENDATIONS DU COMITÉ
Que le Conseil
approuve les prélèvements généraux et spéciaux de 2006 tels qu’ils sont
présentés dans l’annexe A pour les offices de protection de la nature
suivants :
1.
Office de protection de la nature de
la vallée de la rivière Rideau;
2.
Société d’aménagement de la rivière
Nation-Sud;
3.
Office de protection de la nature de
la vallée de la rivière Mississippi.
DOCUMENTATION
1. Planning
and Growth Management, Deputy City Manager’s report dated
09 March 2006
(ACS2006-PGM-POL-0022).
Report to/Rapport au :
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee
Comité des services organisationnels
et du développement économique
and Council / et au Conseil
Submitted by/Soumis par : Ned Lathrop, Deputy City Manager/Directeur
municipal adjoint,
Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Dennis Jacobs, Director/Directeur, Planning,
Environment and Infrastructure Policy Branch/Politique d’urbanisme,
d’environnement et d’infrastructure
(613) 580-2424 x25521, Dennis.Jacobs@ottawa.ca
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SUBJECT: |
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OBJET : |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Corporate Services and Economic
Development Committee recommend Council approve the 2006 general and special
levies as presented in schedule A for the following:
1. Rideau
Valley Conservation Authority,
2. South
Nation Conservation Authority and the
3. Mississippi
Valley Conservation Authority
RECOMMANDATIONS DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité des services organisationnels et
du développement économique recommande au Conseil d’approuver les prélèvements
généraux et spéciaux de 2006 tels qu’ils sont présentés dans l’annexe A pour
les offices de protection de la nature suivants :
1. Office de protection de
la nature de la vallée de la rivière Rideau;
2. Société d’aménagement de
la rivière Nation-Sud;
3. Office de protection de
la nature de la vallée de la rivière Mississippi.
BACKGROUND
The City of Ottawa is located in the watershed of three rivers, all of which have an established Conservation Authority; the Rideau Valley, Mississippi Valley and South Nation. The taxation requirement by the Conservation Authorities has been excluded in the City’s budget, as they have a separate levy on the tax bill. Council can only control the special projects portion of their levy.
The
Conservation Authorities Act provides that Conservation Authorities shall
apportion operating/maintenance costs amongst participating municipalities in
accordance with the benefits derived. The City primarily acts as the tax
collector on behalf on the Conservation Authorities and collects the amount in
the same manner as municipal taxes for general purposes.
In
accordance with section 312 of the Municipal act the municipality shall, each
year, pass a by‑law levying the separate tax rates, for this purpose.
Approval of this report will establish the levy rates.
Council
has no discretion over the amounts listed under the general levy. The City of
Ottawa share of the levy is apportioned on the basis of the assessment within
the City of Ottawa relative to the total assessment within the watershed.
There
is some discretion on amounts identified as Special levies but these programs
are generally supported by staff as they complement City initiatives and staff
partner with the Conservation Authorities to deliver these programs.
Budgets for Conservation authorites are co-ordinated with the Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Policy branch within the Department of Planning and Growth Management.
These levy rates are calculated based on the budgets (Document 1) submitted by each Conservation Authority.
Rideau River Ice Management - There is a
longstanding arrangement between the RVCA and the City concerning Rideau River
Ice Management.
By
Council approval early in 2005, the RVCA is to fund the full cost of Rideau
River Flood Control through their special levy, beginning in 2006. In conformity with this direction, the RVCA
is budgeting for the full cost of the program $455,300 less the anticipated
provincial grant amount $120,000 for a special levy of $335,300.
Rural Clean Water - Council considered a report on the Rural Clean Water program (delivered for the City by the South Nation Conservation) on 8 December 2004 and approved the following recommendations:
1.
Renewal of the Rural Clean Water Program for an additional
five years, ending 31 December 2009.
2. Allocation of $184,000 per year under Special Levy to the Conservation Authorities for the Rural Clean Water Program for a period of five years.
Green Acres - Council considered a report on the Green Acres program (which provides grants for tree planting in the rural area) on 13 July 2005 and approved the following recommendations:
1.
Continuation
of the Green Acres Reforestation Program through 2010 in partnership with the
Conservation Authorities.
2. The proposed spending plan for allocation of $80,000 in special levy for 2006 with $5,000 increments for 2007-2010, subject to final Council approval of the special levy each year during budget deliberations.
Staff has obtained an update from Authority staff on the efforts to replace the $30,000 Forest 2020 funding from the federal government that has now ended. The Authority has an ongoing fund raising program which to date has secured approximately $21,000 in additional grants. Combined with the proposed special levy from the City, the program will be funded at a level similar to last year.
Graham Creek Erosion
Control Repair - The
City and Conservation Authorities have implemented a number of jointly managed
erosion and flood protection infrastructure assets over time. A number of these facilities have aged to a
point where remedial measures and rehabilitative works are required. This money will be used to complete
required repairs to structures on 5 kilometres of watercourse built in the late
1970’s to mid-90s under the Graham Creek Flood and Erosion Control Program. The work is an RVCA project and they are
responsible for all project design, tendering and contract administration. The City is simply a funding partner to the
RVCA with payment based on invoices received as work is completed.
The special levy requests in this report are consistent with previous
Council approvals.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
The Conservation Authorities are key conservation partners in the City. Their programs play a critical role in ensuring environmental quality and conservation efforts including watershed protection. Programs funded through the general and special levy of the Authorities result in direct efforts to protect and improve water quality, conserve wildlife and biodiversity, increase forest cover, and protect against natural hazards such as flooding and unstable slopes.
Results of the City’s baseline water quality monitoring program indicate that 70% of the City’s rural creeks fail to meet the “good” criteria of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) water quality index. The Rural Clean Water Program complements the City’s desire to protect and improve surface water quality. It is estimated that the various program initiatives have removed approximately 2,430 kilograms of phosphorus annually from the City’s waterways. The Program’s educational and public awareness initiatives help increase the community’s understanding of the relationship between rural land use practices and water quality protection.
As the only ongoing tree planting program in rural Ottawa, Green Acres provides an important environmental benefit by supporting renewal and enhancement of forest cover. This helps the City in achieving a variety of environmental objectives and targets including increasing forest cover city wide to 30%, provision of wildlife habitat, protection of water quality, and provision of a carbon sink to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
CONSULTATION
This submission is prepared based on documentation supplied by the Conservation Authorities. The General Managers of the Conservation Authorities are scheduled to be available to answer specific questions on their increased budgetary requirements.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Per Council direction, the City's share of the funding requirements for the Conservation Authorities is raised through the establishment of separate tax rates applied to the various property classes within the City of Ottawa. Based on the requirements submitted in this report, the Conservation Authorities are requesting a 16.6% increase over the amount provided in 2005. For an average residential homeowner, this will represent approximately a $2.00 increase on their 2006 property tax bill.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1. General
and Special Levies for Conservation Authorities, City of Ottawa Share.
DISPOSITION
The Financial Services Branch will calculate the property tax rates to generate the required levies and will forward the funds to the Conservation Authorities. Legal Services Branch will prepare the appropriate by-laws.
GENERAL
AND SPECIAL LEVIES FOR CONSERVATION
AUTHORITIES, CITY OF OTTAWA SHARE DOCUMENT
1
