ERO-019-6951, 6963, 6928 & 6853 – Proposed Streamlining to Permit-by-Rule, Waste Management, Stormwater Management and Site Dewatering Activities – ORA Support

By Linda Heron on Monday, October 30th, 2023

Posted in Environmental Bill of Rights, Environmental Compliance Approval, Joint, Land Use, Mining, Ontario Water Resources Act, Policy & Process, Provincial Policy Statement, Quarries, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Species at Risk, Stormwater, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, Water Quality, Watershed Planning

Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) has prepared the following analysis and recommendations in response to the four above-noted Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) notices, which propose dramatic changes to Ontario’s permit-by-rule framework. The undersigned environmental, conservation, and civil society organizations have endorsed CELA’s submission. Collectively, it is strongly recommended that the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks not move ahead with the four proposals…

We are willing to meet and discuss CELA’s submission at your convenience.

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Environmental Compliance Approval Number 7877-CALRZU – Erin Water Resource Recovery Facility – Joint

By Linda Heron on Friday, June 3rd, 2022

Posted in Aquatic Life, Brook Trout, Erin WWTP, Fisheries, Joint, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, Water Quality, West Credit River

Photo by Steven Noakes

First, the Coalition for the West Credit River (Coalition) would like to express our deepest appreciation that you and your staff worked with our Technical Team over the last several months to incorporate some of our recommendations into the Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA). However, we are concerned that our key recommendations for improvements to the draft ECA, received by you on 2 May, were not reflected in the ECA approved on 3 May 2022.

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Delegation Request – Erin Water Resource Recovery Facility – Joint

By Linda Heron on Friday, June 3rd, 2022

Posted in Aquatic Life, Brook Trout, Environmental Compliance Approval, Erin WWTP, Fisheries, Joint, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Sewage, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, West Credit River

Photo by Steven Noakes

The Coalition is very appreciative of your strong support in recommending to the Honourable David Piccini, Minister of Environment, Conservation Parks (MECP) and Mayor Allan Alls, Town of Erin, that our draft Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plan be integrated into the Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA). As you are likely aware, the ECA for the Erin Water Resource Recovery Facility was approved on 3 May 2022 by Aziz Ahmed, P.Eng., MECP Manager of Municipal Water & Wastewater Permissions, appointed for the purposes of Part II.1 of the Environmental Protection Act.

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ERO 019-4971 – Draft Low Impact Development Stormwater Management Manual

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, April 27th, 2022

Posted in Climate Change, Environmental Protection Act, Environmental Registry, Ontario Water Resources Act, ORA Submissions, Planning Act, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Stormwater, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, Water Quality, Watershed Planning

Blue Heron in Waterloo, Ontario, by Leslie Bamford

The ORA is in full agreement that Low Impact Development (LID) must be a priority in development planning guidance for stormwater management practices and should include innovative green infrastructure such as rain harvesting, rain gardens, green roofs, urban trees and forests, permeable surfaces, ditches, swales, stormwater catchments, and must emphasize the protection of wetlands.

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ERO-019-4967 – Municipal Wastewater and Stormwater Management in Ontario – Discussion Paper

By Linda Heron on Monday, March 28th, 2022

Posted in Environmental Registry, ORA Submissions, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, Watershed Planning

The province should not be streamlining reporting requirements. Wastewater and stormwater management are vitally important to the health and resilience of our freshwater resources and to the people of Ontario. There are numerous complex and site specific considerations for each and every outfall of sewage effluent that is unique to the area and the water body. We cannot continue to release partially treated or untreated sewage into our lakes and rivers. We must stop thinking about how we can make it easier and start thinking about how we can make wastewater treatment more efficient and effective so we can build resilience into our lakes and rivers to help prepare for a warming climate.

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ERO 019-4219 – Moving to a project list approach under the EAA

By Linda Heron on Monday, January 24th, 2022

West Credit River Brook Trout – Photo by Steve Nokams

When these unregulated projects come home to roost, and the environmental impacts begin to damage or destroy highly valued public interests, such as our lakes and rivers, endangered species, our drinking water, and the economy, the government will pay a very high price. Unfortunately, the damage that will result from these irresponsible and negligent actions will not easily be undone, and in many cases will not be resolved in our lifetimes.

If the government wants to incorporate “one-project, one review”, then it must be a robust EA process with fulsome public and Indigenous consultation, or it may find the process much longer than it might have intended.

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Response to MECP Decision on Application for Investigation

By Linda Heron on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021

Posted in Environmental Bill of Rights, Environmental Registry, Erin WWTP, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, Regulatory Submissions, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Sewage, West Credit River

Photo by Steve Noakes.

We were very disappointed in Ms. Paul’s decision to deny our Application for Investigation; however, we were also not surprised. This provincial government has systematically dismantled much of Ontario’s environmental policy and legislation with an ambitious goal of “cutting red tape”, and “modernizing”. They have successfully carried out their mission through specious explanations that mislead the public and deflect concern over important Environmental Registry postings and massive omnibus Bills. This method has allowed them to proceed with sweeping cuts to numerous pieces of important legislation without much public fuss – all during their declared COVID Emergency. The decision on our Application for Investigation is simply another example of bypassing key legislation to facilitate a Project that has strong community opposition.

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ORA Celebrates 10 years of Service to Ontario Rivers

By Linda Heron on Saturday, October 16th, 2021

Posted in Almonte GS, Annual Reports, Armstrong Creek, At Soo Crossing, Bala Falls, Big Eddy, Big Falls, Blanche River, Bonnechere River, Camp Rapids, Camp Three Rapids, Cascade Falls, Cedar Rapids, Crown Land Use Policy, Dams, Enerdu GS, Energy, Erin WWTP, First Chute, Fourth Slide Falls, Frederick House River, Half Mile Rapids, Hydroelectric, Ivanhoe River, Kabinakagami River, Kapuskasing River, Larder River, Marter Township GS, McCarthy Chute, McPherson Falls, Misema GS, Misema River, Mississippi River, Moon River, Neeskah, ORA Reports, Peeshoo, Petawawa River, Presentations, Raven Falls, Regulatory, Removal, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Serpent River, Sewage, Sturgeon Chute, Temagami River, The Chute, Third Falls, Trout Lake River, Vermilion River, Wabagishik Rapids, Wahpeeston, Wanapitei Dam, Wanapitei River, Wanatango Falls, Wapoose, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, West Credit River

A presentation made by the Chair of ORA:

A presentation made by the Chair at ORA’s 16 October 2021 Annual General Meeting:

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EBR Application for Investigation of Town of Erin – Proposed Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant – Joint

By Linda Heron on Friday, August 27th, 2021

Posted in Environmental Assessment Act, Environmental Registry, Environmental Reports, Erin WWTP, Fisheries, Joint, Land Use, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, Regulatory Submissions, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, West Credit River

West Credit River Brook Trout. Photo by Steve Noakes.

The Belfountain Community and Planning Organization and Linda Heron are filing an Application for Investigation of the Corporation of the Town of Erin, under Part V, of the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993. We are very concerned that the Town is moving forward to the construction phase of the Project when it has not yet fulfilled key commitments it made in its Town of Erin Urban Centre Wastewater Servicing Class Environmental Study Report. The Ministry will investigate whether the Town contravened or violated Section 38 of the Environmental Assessment Act.

Please click on this Google Drive link to view or download the Application for Investigation and Appendix A. Continue reading →

Inground Infiltration of Wastewater

By Linda Heron on Monday, June 7th, 2021

Posted in Aquatic Life, Brook Trout, Erin WWTP, Fisheries, Joint, ORA Submissions, Pollution, Press Release, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, Water Quality, West Credit River

In consideration of the ecosystem benefits of a healthy West Credit River and its sensitive Brook Trout and Redside Dace population, we are recommending that inground infiltration of the final wastewater effluent be seriously considered, as a viable alternative to discharging warm sewage effluent directly into the West Credit River. Discharge of treated effluent by way of passive infiltration into the ground with slow percolation into this relatively small stream is the best way to ensure that the final effluent reaches the stream as natural and cold groundwater.

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