Environmental news for the residents of the Grand River watershed Annual report GRAND RIVER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY Spring 2008 Distribution 200,000 copies Lines on the landscape By showing landowners the map lines marking natural areas, GRCA planners help protect lives and property By Janet Baine the remaining wetlands in the another community. They also GRCA Communications Specialist Grand River watershed. aren’t usually aware that develop- One way to do that is through ment in the wrong area can en Rosin may not know it, regulations on land use that are increase the possibility of flood but what he does around administered by the Grand River damages. Kthe wetlands on his prop- Conservation Authority. The It’s important that people are erty in Amaranth Township, in regulations, which show up as aware of it, though. When the northern headwaters of the lines on watershed maps, identify Hurricane Hazel struck Ontario Grand River, can help or hurt natural areas that need to be pro- in 1954 it killed 81 people and people downstream. tected. washed away whole neighbor- Wetlands like those on Rosin’s When people plan a new hoods of houses built in flood- property play an important role house or garage for their land, or prone river valleys in Toronto. in storing water and filtering think about subdivision plans and After that storm it became clear Amaranth Township landowner Ken Rosin and GRCA planner Liz impurities out of it, so it could be severances, they think mostly that one of the best ways to pre- Yerex examine the wetlands on Rosin’s property. GRCA photo by Janet Baine that the water that seeps out of about what they or future owners vent future devastation would be his wetlands may eventually of the property will want. They to keep people from building to restrict building in those areas. Buildings located in a flood- show up in a tap in Kitchener or may not be aware that their plans new houses in flood-prone areas. The many floods in Ontario plain face an obvious risk. Less Brantford. could impact the natural environ- Flood lines were mapped in since then, including the 1974 obvious is the impact that they That’s one reason why it’s ment or result in water problems many places across the province Grand River flood, have shown important to protect these and on another property or even in and regulations were developed the value of the regulations. Continued on Page 3 Along Year in review Award winners Living roof THE GRAND RIVER It takes a lot of work to Recognition for those who The green roof project at realize the vision of a have given time and ener- Laurel Creek Nature Centre A Canadian the healthier watershed. gy to the environment. was a natural for Toyota. Heritage River Grand Page 4 Page 7 Page 8 Paul Emerson, Chief Administrative Officer A G E H E R A N D P 2Paul – Emerson T ,G FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND THE CAO The GRCA A Message nvironment” is a simple word that is used to describe a tion, planning fees, donations from the Grand How To Reach Us complex web of relationships – the links that connect River Conservation Foundation and other Paul Emerson rivers, forests, moraines, wetlands and the rest of our sources. Chief Administrative Officer ‘E Keith Murch landscape as well as the living things that inhabit them. Almost all of the rest – about 23 per cent of our revenue – Assistant CAO, Secretary Treasurer The complexity of the subject matter means that no one comes from the senior levels of government, primarily the Joe Farwell person, no one group, no one agency can do all of the things provincial government. Assistant CAO, Resource Management So, in a very real sense, the GRCA is a locally-administered, By Mail: GRCA that must be done to protect and enhance the natural features 400 Clyde Road, Box 729 of the Grand River watershed. locally-financed agency dedicated to finding local solutions to Cambridge, Ontario That’s why partnerships are such a fundamental part of the the issues facing our watershed. N1R 5W6 way we carry out our important responsibilities. We know that There was a time when the provincial contribution to the By Phone: 519-621-2761 or, work of conservation authorities was much higher – about 50 Direct Line: 519-621-2763 + ext. the job will only be done if it involves all levels of govern- Toll Free 1-866-900-4722 ment, community groups, business and industry, farmers, non- per cent of the budget. But conservation authorities, like many By Fax: 519-621-4844 governmental agencies and, most importantly, the residents of other agencies, went through a period when provincial cut- Website: www.grandriver.ca the watershed. backs forced us to look elsewhere for revenue. At the GRCA E-mail general inquiries: we’re proud that we were able to do that and maintain our [email protected] In this issue of the Grand you’ll find information on some of Outside business hours: the work we have been doing with our partners. environmental projects even as we broadened our sources of 519-621-2761 and leave message The article on land use and regulations highlights the com- financial support. (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, mon interest of the GRCA and its member municipalities in In recent years, the province has increased its support for excluding holidays) our work, notably with grants for maintenance of our critical River Information Line: protecting the lives and property of watershed residents. 519-621-2763 ext. 2519 The commitment of watershed residents, community groups dams and dikes, as well as money for the drinking water source Planning and Permits: and residents to a better environment is illustrated in the arti- protection program. It’s a welcome strengthening of this 519-621-2763 ext. 2230 important partnership. Conservation Areas: cle on the project to install a new green roof at our Laurel Creek Nature Centre. The complexity of it all – the work we do, our network of Head office 519-621-2763 ext. 2250 partnerships, our varied sources of money – has a beneficial Belwood Lake (Fergus) 519-843-2979 The story on Grand River Country points to a partnership of impact on the way we approach our tasks. We know that to be Brant (Brantford) 519-752-2040 the GRCA and local tourism agencies to sell the wonders of Byng Island (Dunnville) 905-774-5755 successful we must understand the needs of our watershed and the Grand to local audiences as well as visitors from farther Conestogo Lake (Drayton) 519-638-2873 its residents and work hard to meet them. It’s not an easy job, Elora Gorge (Elora) 519-846-9742 afield. but it is a challenging and exciting one. Guelph Lake (Guelph) 519-824-5061 And last, but not least, is the information on our annual Laurel Creek (Waterloo) 519-884-6620 Luther Marsh (Grand Valley) 519-928-2832 budget, which details – in dollars and cents – the commitment Pinehurst Lake (Paris) 519-442-4721 many of our partners are making to this work. Rockwood (Rockwood) 519-856-9543 This year our total expenditures will be $29 million. That’s Shade’s Mills (Cambridge) 519-621-3697 money that will be spent reducing flood damages, improving Reserve a campsite: water quality, ensuring an adequate water supply, protecting By phone 1-866-ONT-CAMP natural areas, providing environmental education, undertaking Online www.grandriver.ca watershed planning and operating our conservation areas. Nature Centres: But of that amount, just one-third comes from the 950,000 Apps’ Mill (Brantford) 519-752-0655 Guelph Lake 519-836-7860 residents of the watershed through their property taxes or Laurel Creek (Waterloo) 519-885-1368 water bills, which means their average, per capita contribution Shade’s Mills (Cambridge) 519-623-5573 is only $8.54 a person. Taquanyah (Cayuga) 905-768-3288 Close to 45 per cent of our income comes from money we Alan Dale Paul Emerson Grand River Conservation Foundation raise ourselves, through camping fees, hydroelectricity genera- Chairman Chief Administrative Officer Phone: 519-621-2763 ext. 2271 1-877-29-GRAND Township of Centre Wellington: Regional Municipality of Halton: (Halton E-mail: [email protected] WHO SPEAKS Shawn Watters Hills and Milton) – Barry Lee THE GRAND is published twice a Town of Erin, Townships of Guelph- year by the GRCA, and distributed in City of Hamilton: Anna Kramer newspapers to households in the Eramosa and Puslinch: Brad Whitcombe Grand River watershed. Additional FOR YOU? copies available. City of Guelph: Vicki Beard, County of Oxford: (Blandford-Blenheim, Mike Salisbury East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich) – Letters and comments to: he municipality where you live appoints Dave Schultz, GRCA Regional Municipality of Waterloo: Alan Dale (GRCA chair) 400 Clyde Road, Box 729 Tone or more representatives to the GRCA board to oversee the budget and (Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, North Cambridge, Ontario, N1R 5W6 City of Brantford: Robert Hillier, (519) 621-2763, Ext. 2273 activities of the conservation authority. Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and [email protected] They speak on your behalf at the GRCA. Woolwich) – Jane Brewer, Kim Denouden, Vic Prendergast (GRCA 2nd vice-chair) Printed by Grand River Valley Newspapers Jean Haalboom, Ross Kelterborn, Claudette Townships of Amaranth, East Garafraxa, Millar, Jane Mitchell (GRCA 1st vice- County of Brant: Robert Chambers, East Luther Grand Valley, Melancthon, chair), Wayne Roth, Jake Smola, Bill Brian Coleman Southgate: Tom Nevills Strauss, Sean Strickland Townships of Wellington North and Town of North Perth, Township of Perth Haldimand and Norfolk counties: Mapleton: Pat Salter East: George Wicke Lorne Boyko, Craig Grice GRAND RIVER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY• www.grandriver.ca S P R I N G 2 0 0 8 R E P O R T P A G E 3 – T H E G R A N D Regulations protect lives and property Continued from Page 1 near each of these.