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Policy Id:

SPR/SPA:

Risk:

T-22-S-a

Halton Region, Hamilton Region

Significant

Implementing Body

Legal Effect

Policy Tool

Threat Type

Status

Comment

MECP – NMA - ASM and NASM Inspections

Strategic

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

Future & Existing

Implemented

The Ministry undertakes an annual planned inspection program that addresses risk to human and environmental health at Agricultural sites. Inspections target Agricultural Source Material (ASM) and Non-Agricultural Source Material (NASM) as regulated under the Nutrient Management Act. An intentional, core function of the Nutrient Management Act is to keep nutrients, pathogens and contaminants away from wells and surface water which in turn support the objectives of Source Water Protection. Inspections are designed to prioritize operations which could present a higher risk to these features. Each year diagnostics are completed on the results of these various inspections. DWECD inspection programs are run on a fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) rather than a calendar year basis. The IT system used to track inspections under the general agriculture program in FY 2022-23 does not currently include Source Protection information. This issue is expected to be resolved in the future. Given this temporary limitation, we can only provide high-level inspection data. A total of 204 agricultural inspections were completed in fiscal year 2022-23. One or more legal violations were identified in 108 (53%) of the 204 inspections. At the conclusion of 2022-23 fiscal, most non-compliances were resolved with ongoing abatement in only 26 (13%) of the inspections.

Policy Text:

To monitor compliance with nutrient management plans and strategies, non-agricultural source material plans, and Ontario Regulation 267/03 requirements for properties located within vulnerable areas where there are now or potentially would be significant drinking water threats due to the application and storage of agricultural source materials, non-agricultural source materials, commercial fertilizer, and land used for outdoor confinement areas and farm-animal yards,

a. the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is requested to conduct regular compliance inspections of agricultural operations where significant drinking water threats occur, and shall guide farmers to improve compliance performance, when needed.

Monitoring Text:

T-22-S-b. the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks shall document the number and location of inspections that were compliant and non-compliant with nutrient management plans and strategies, and non-agricultural source material plans and the actions taken, and report this information to the Source Protection Authority by February 1 of each year.