Policy Interface

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Policy Id:

SPR/SPA:

Risk:

LO-G-3

Central Lake Ontario, Credit Valley, Toronto

Low, Moderate

Implementing Body

Legal Effect

Policy Tool

Threat Type

Status

Comment

Durham, Regional Municipality of - (Municipality)

Conform with

Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives

Future & Existing

In progress/some progress made

Phase 1 of the Lake Ontario Water Quality Forecasting System has been completed. The system is currently operational, with data validation completed in 2022. Phase 2 work is currently underway which includes improvements to model calibration and tributary time of travel, as well as the incorporation of ECO lab and additional lake monitoring equipment. Cybersecurity and functional enhancements were made to the application in 2024 as part of the Phase 2 work.

Peel, Regional Municipality of - (Municipality)

Conform with

Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives

Future & Existing

Implemented

Toronto City of - (Municipality)

Conform with

Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives

Future & Existing

Implemented

Toronto has participated in the Lake Ontario Collaborative Group (LOCG) in 2016 and continues to undertake tasks agreed in the Terms of Reference established by the LOCG. The Lake Ontario Water Quality Forecasting System (LOWQFS) is operational and was used to model chemical spills in Lake Ontario and the potential impact on water quality at municipal drinking water treatment plant intakes located in the municipalities of Peel, Durham, and Toronto. Refinement of the LOWQFS continues. Permanent instrumentation was installed in Lake Ontario near the R.L. Clark Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and the system has been measuring and recording data since 2023. The data is supplied to the LOWQFS where it can be viewed and used to improve model predictions. A similar instrumentation system will be deployed in Lake Ontario near the R.C. Harris WTP in Fall 2025. The LOCG has developed an intermunicipal communication protocol for spills and algae communication guidelines.

Policy Text:

The municipalities of Peel, Toronto and Durham shall participate as members of the Lake Ontario Collaborative Group (LOCG) and shall undertake tasks (including funding portions) as agreed to in the Terms of Reference established by the LOCG.

Timeline: See policy

Monitoring Text:

MON-1: The municipality or planning approval authority shall, by February 1 of each year, prepare and submit a report equivalent to s. 65 of O. Reg. 287/07 under the Clean Water Act, 2006 to the Source Protection Authority on the actions taken in the previous calendar year to achieve the outcomes of the source protection policy. Where applicable, municipal planning authorities shall provide a copy of the notice of adoption of amendments to official plans and/or zoning by laws. Reporting shall include information related to the effectiveness of the policies in ensuring a threat ceases to be, or does not become significant, and any actions required to respond to a drinking water threat during the reporting period.