31 May 2019 Minister John Yakabuski Ministry of Natural Resources And
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CPS-11-2019-INFO-B 31 May 2019 Minister John Yakabuski Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Whitney Block Suite 6630, 6th Floor 99 Wellesley St. W Toronto, Ontario M7A 1W3 Submitted by email to [email protected] Dear Minister Yakabuski RE: Muskoka Watershed Flood Mitigation I wish to commend you on the initiation of a provincially-led “Flood Task Force” and for inviting my participation on behalf of Muskoka Watershed Council (MWC). As the Chair of the only environmental non-governmental organization invited to attend the Task Force’s first session in Huntsville on May 17, I was pleased to have the opportunity to offer MWC’s perspective that an integrated watershed approach must be considered to meet the commitment made in your government’s Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan to “identify where and how climate change is likely to impact Ontario’s communities”. As I’ve noted to your staff, reviewing the Muskoka River Water Management Plan alone is too narrowly focussed to understand the causes of flooding and management options. More specifically, a watershed hydrology initiative, in the context of a comprehensive watershed strategy, will provide broad insight and potential solutions for greater flood resiliency. Last month, MWC explored the potential for integrated flood management at our conference held in Huntsville during Muskoka’s significant flooding events. Over 120 participants discussed key watershed management concepts including the need for integrated watershed management, the importance of natural infrastructure, and the impact of cumulative environmental stressors. Each of these topics generated much discussion during the conference and also, locally, in the weeks since as the flooding event continued well into May. The conference presentations may be found at https://www.muskokawatershed.org/events/msc/2019-msc/program/. Through those presentations, and despite significant community interest in reviewing the Province’s Muskoka River Water Management Plan, it is clear that renewing that Plan will simply not be enough to mitigate widespread flood risks. The Muskoka River Water Management Plan is restricted in scope and responds primarily to river flows, snow pack and lake levels. Instead, assessing our built and natural infrastructure (including but not limited to wetlands, headwater tributaries, and forest resources) is necessary to fully understand and, in turn, to effectively manage the impacts of flooding and to identify necessary actions to ensure the ecological and economic health of Muskoka, and beyond, for years to come. Our review of available science and our own 2016 evidence-based report, “Planning for Climate Change in Muskoka” makes clear that effective planning and management of watershed resources will be necessary to adapt to increasingly erratic weather patterns. For almost twenty years, MWC has provided scientifically-informed advice on environmental issues to municipal governments, the private sector, and the citizens of the Muskoka watershed and is recognized as a “made-in-Muskoka” solution. As we have previously expressed to Minister Phillips, MWC remains committed to supporting the Province in its related efforts to protect watershed health, including through its “Muskoka Watershed Conservation and Management Initiative” announced last August. I look forward to your confirmation of the next actions anticipated for the provincially-led “Flood Task Force” and what role MWC may have in this and/or other crucial environmental work being led by the Province. Should you require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Kevin Trimble, Chair cc: John Klinck, Muskoka District Chair Norm Miller, Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Vic Fedeli, Finance Minister Rod Phillips, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Scott Aitchison, Huntsville Mayor Phil Harding, Muskoka Lakes Mayor Graydon Smith, Bracebridge Mayor Terry Glover, Lake of Bays Mayor Paul Kelly, Gravenhurst Mayor Peter Koetsier, Georgian Bay Mayor Carol Moffatt, Algonquin Highlands Mayor Ann MacDiarmid, Seguin Mayor .