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Towards a Management Plan for the Waterloo Moraine: a Comprehensive Assessment of Its Current State Within the Region of Waterloo

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Towards a Management Plan for the Waterloo Moraine: a Comprehensive Assessment of Its Current State Within the Region of Waterloo Towards a Management Plan for the Waterloo Moraine: A Comprehensive Assessment of its Current State within the Region of Waterloo by Lindsay Poulin A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Environmental Studies in Geography Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2009 © Lindsay Poulin 2009 I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. Lindsay Poulin ii ABSTRACT The Region of Waterloo (ROW) and Oxford County contain a significant landscape unit called the Waterloo Moraine that provides multiple ecological and water resource functions to surrounding communities. These functions include; providing a clean and abundant source of water, natural landscapes for plant and animal habitats, natural areas for recreational enjoyment, prime agricultural lands on which to grow food and aggregate resources in close proximity to large markets. This landscape unit is similar to the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The purpose of this research is to conduct an examination of the current state of management for the Waterloo Moraine within the ROW and Oxford County. Attributes of the Waterloo Moraine examined include; water resources, agricultural resources, mineral aggregate resources, Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes (ESLs), natural core areas, natural linkage areas and settlement areas. While the hydrologic functions have been most studied within this landscape unit, the Moraine has predominantly been studied from a focused perspective rather than a comprehensive one. Using expert knowledge and available secondary sources the following research questions are investigated: (1) What do we currently know about the Waterloo Moraine and how is this knowledge (or lack thereof) applied to its future existence and sustainability? (2) Who are the stakeholders when it comes to growth and management of the Waterloo Moraine? (3) Which places need to be protected from development most throughout the Waterloo Moraine? (4) Where does the Waterloo Moraine fit into management policies and plans existing in the Region of Waterloo and within the Province of Ontario? Key results of this research include; (1) The boundary of the Waterloo Moraine remains undefined; however, rough estimates of the overall size and various portions within each county, township and city it encompasses have been projected. To date, the largest portion of the Moraine lies in Wilmot Township (36.9%) and the smallest portion lies in North Dumfries (3%). (2) Many stakeholders are involved in the protection and management of the Waterloo Moraine. Regional and provincial officials ultimately control where development and growth occur and which areas in the ROW should be protected most. Those responsible for the initial „push‟ for Moraine protection are grassroots groups and iii individuals coupled with the local media. (3) Criteria designating development „hot spots‟ across the Waterloo Moraine has been established and six „hot spots‟ within the Waterloo Moraine are designated. Limited recognition has been given to the Waterloo Moraine complex in regional policies. It is therefore suggested that the creation of a Waterloo Moraine Act be considered in order to protect and manage this landscape unit. The Act would promote protection measures for the Moraine‟s valuable attributes at the highest provincial level and eventually lead to a conservation plan. It is recommended that the ROW further refine the Waterloo Moraine‟s boundaries, develop a database to monitor changes in various features and functions across the Waterloo Moraine‟s landscape and promote the implementation of a Waterloo Moraine Act. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to first and foremost express my sincere gratitude to my thesis advisor Dr. Ian McKenzie. The guidance and knowledge that you have provided me with has helped immensely through this thesis. Thank you for allowing me to consider my own thoughts, never be afraid to ask and for giving me the opportunity to fulfill one of my many goals. I would also like to thank my committee member Dr. George Francis, and the two readers, Dr. Douglas Dudycha and Dr. Michael Stone, for their time and valuable contributions put towards this thesis. A heartfelt thanks goes out to Jonathan Morgan, the library associate at the University of Waterloo‟s Map and Design Library. For all the hours that you have helped me gather GIS and orthoimagery data to improve my mapping skills, it was a tremendous help. Thank you to my family for their constant support and encouragement. I couldn‟t have done this without you. To my parents for showing me that perseverance and dedication is the key to achieving your goals and dreams. To my sister, Leanne for your always inspiring kind and loving words – they have meant more than you will ever realize. I would also like to thank Jordan for his continuous support and encouragement. Having someone like you to help me along the way has been so helpful in completing this thesis. I appreciate everything that you have done and continue to do. Thank you to my friends in the Faculty of Environment graduate program. All of you have helped me get where I am today. The circle of support that you all have helped create has allowed me to remain motivated, stay strong and make many memories that will last a lifetime. v Table of Contents List of Figures……………………………………………………………………………...………………ix List of Tables .......…………………………………………………………………………………………xi Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Structure .............................................................................................................................................. 6 1.3 Methods............................................................................................................................................... 7 1.3.1 Literature Review and Policy Examination ................................................................................. 8 1.3.2 Interviews ..................................................................................................................................... 9 1.3.3 Case Studies ............................................................................................................................... 10 1.3.4 Methodological Issues................................................................................................................ 10 Chapter 2: Review of Studies and Issues on the Waterloo Moraine Complex .................................... 12 2.1 Context .............................................................................................................................................. 12 2.2 The Region of Waterloo .................................................................................................................... 21 2.3 The Grand River Watershed ............................................................................................................. 24 2.4 The Waterloo Moraine ...................................................................................................................... 27 2.5 The Importance of the Waterloo Moraine ......................................................................................... 30 2.6 Concerns and Threats for the Waterloo Moraine .............................................................................. 31 2.6.1 Proposed West Side Developments ........................................................................................... 34 2.6.2 Aggregate Resources.................................................................................................................. 36 2.6.3 Road Networks ........................................................................................................................... 38 2.6.4 Water Resources ........................................................................................................................ 39 2.6.5 Agriculture ................................................................................................................................. 50 2.6.6 Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes (ESLs) ......................................................................... 52 2.7 The Paris/Galt Moraine ..................................................................................................................... 57 2.8 Provincial Land Use Management Policies and Legislative Authorities .......................................... 59 2.8.1 The Planning Act ....................................................................................................................... 59 2.8.2 Provincial Policy Statement ....................................................................................................... 60 2.8.3 The Ontario Municipal Board .................................................................................................... 61 2.8.4 The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario ........................................................................... 61 2.9 Summary ..........................................................................................................................................
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