UPDATE ON THE CLEAN WATER ACT

Le point sur la Loi sur l'eau saine

ACS2007-PTE-POL-0025

Responding to questions from Councillor Clive Doucet, the Program Manager, Natural Systems, Environmental Sustainability Division, Judy Flavin, stated that the City received funding to prepare a study on the intake protection zone of the piped water systems in the urban area (Britannia and Lemieux Island) and that this is part of the ongoing characterization and background work. The Terms of Reference for the Source Protection Plan are still to come. When asked by the Councillor for additional details, Ms. Flavin indicated that City staff has identified additional costs that the Province has not said it would pay for as things progress. Staff’s main concern has to do with the cost of its participation in the process and in the implementation of the plan, once approved. Councillor Doucet wanted to know who would pay for the plan, once approved. Ms. Flavin reiterated that, to date, the Province has given no indication that it will assist with implementation costs: the discussion has been that the City will be given tools to help with implementation through the Planning Act and its own Official Plan.

The Committee Chair, Peter Hume, stated that, rather than commenting on the report at this time, as Councillor Doucet suggested, the Committee wait to hear from staff about the subsequent stages of the process. Ms. Flavin added that staff have consistently raised the issue of the cost of implementing the Source Protection Plan and how the City will be compensated for its part in this.

The Committee then considered the report recommendations:

That the Planning and Environment Committee and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend that Council:

1. Receive this report for information.

RECEIVED

2. Endorse the comments from staff previously submitted to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment on the Discussion Paper on Source Protection Committees under the Clean Water Act, 2006.

CARRIED

2. Request that staff forward to the Ministry of the Environment the minutes of the committee and Council meetings on this report as further indication of Council’s position on these matters.

CARRIED