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Policy Id:

SPR/SPA:

Risk:

SAL-4

Central Lake Ontario, Credit Valley, Toronto

Significant

Implementing Body

Legal Effect

Policy Tool

Threat Type

Status

Comment

MECP - Source Protection

Strategic

Specify and promote BMPs

Future & Existing

Implemented: Policy outcome(s) evaluated - No further action(s) required

The ministry has reviewed and considered the policy. The ministry remains committed to working with all partners and other levels of government to support the protection of the natural environment and the well-being of the people of Ontario. This includes investing and collaborating in the areas of monitoring, research and innovation, as well as advancing practices that minimize road salt impacts on the environment without compromising public safety during the winter months. The ministry provides advice through its Guidelines on Snow Disposal and De-icing Operations in Ontario (2011) which encourage the sensible and conservative use of road salt. In addition, MECP works with many partners including conservation authorities, the winter maintenance sector, Smart About Salt Council, and road authorities like municipalities and the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), to promote best management practices, operator training and certification, and road salt alternatives. Since 2018, under the Great Lakes Program and Lake Simcoe Program, the ministry has invested over $1.4M in 11 projects that address chloride monitoring and excess road salt (understanding chloride toxicity, patterns and contributions from urbanized watersheds, groundwater conveyance, and the influence of stormwater measures), including projects that encourage the adoption of sustainable salt management practices on private parking lots, roads, and sidewalks. Furthermore, the 2021 Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health includes commitments by Canada and Ontario to reduce road salt entering the Great Lakes including investment in new science, monitoring and actions to understand the impacts of road salt use. Since 2013, the ministry has supported the Smart About Salt Council to modernize their winter maintenance professional certification program including training on the use of best management practices. The ministry continues to provide a Community of Practice forum to enable and encourage the sharing of information and best management practices among risk management officials, source protection committees, and authorities. Source protection committees and authorities can also refer to materials on the Ministry of Transportation's website (https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-we-clear-ontarios-highways-winter) related to their Salt Management Plan (previously provided to all source protection authorities) and other applicable best management practices.

Policy Text:

Where the application of road salt is, or would be, a significant drinking water threat, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in consultation with other provincial ministries and municipal associations should promote best management practices for the application of road salt, to protect sources of municipal drinking water in any of the following areas:

WHPA-A (existing, future); or
WHPA-B (VS = 10) (existing, future); or
WHPA-E (VS = 9) (existing, future); or
the remainder of an Issue Contributing Area for Sodium or Chloride (existing, future).

Timelines:
T-15: The policy shall be considered within 2 years from the date the Source Protection Plan takes effect.

Monitoring Text:

MON-4: The provincial ministry shall, by February 1 of each year, prepare and submit a report to the Source Protection Authority on the actions taken in
the previous calendar year to achieve the outcomes of the source protection policy. 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.