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Policy Id:

SPR/SPA:

Risk:

4.03

Lower Thames Valley, St. Clair Region, Upper Thames River

Non-specific

Implementing Body

Legal Effect

Policy Tool

Threat Type

Status

Comment

MECP - Source Protection

Strategic

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

Future & Existing

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

The ministry has reviewed and considered the policy. Spill response and notification procedures have been updated to geo-spatially determine if the spill is in a source protection vulnerable area by using the Source Protection Information Atlas (SPIA). These new procedures ensure that if a spill has the potential to impact a drinking water treatment plant, the plant is notified along with any other affected parties. The ministry continues to support the Source Water Protection - Resource Catalogue for Education and Outreach Policies (https://conservationontario.ca/resources/). In addition, the ministry continues to integrate drinking water source protection messaging into ministry guidance and resources where appropriate. The ministry also participates with municipal partners in planning for potential spills through municipal spills exercises as well as larger scale provincial exercises.

Policy Text:

The Province (Ministry of Environment), in collaboration with municipalities, shall consider developing and implementing general spills awareness programs where significant threats may occur.

Monitoring Text:

5.04: Ministry of Environment, and all other implementers, shall establish monitoring programs as per Section 45 of the Clean Water Act. The information collected through these monitoring programs shall be included in a monitoring report that shall be submitted annually to the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. The information submitted to the Conservation Authority shall be consistent with the guidance developed pursuant to policy 5.02 where that guidance identifies items required to
meet provincial reporting requirements of the implementer or SPA. Aspects of the guidance which are beyond that which is necessary to satisfy provincial reporting requirements shall be considered in submitting the monitoring reports. Monitoring reports are to be submitted by February 1 of each year following the first anniversary of the effective date of the Source Protection Plan. Monitoring reports shall include information since the submission of the previous monitoring report to December 31 of the year previous to the deadline for report submission. For the first report, the information shall include information from the effective date of the Source Protection Plan.

5.08: Municipalities, and all other implementers, shall establish monitoring
programs as per Section 45 of the Clean Water Act. The information
collected through these monitoring programs shall be included in a
monitoring report that shall be submitted annually to the Upper Thames
River Conservation Authority. The information submitted to the
Conservation Authority shall be consistent with the guidance developed
pursuant to policy 5.02 where that guidance identifies items required to
meet provincial reporting requirements of the implementer or SPA.
Aspects of the guidance which are beyond that which is necessary to
satisfy provincial reporting requirements shall be considered in submitting
the monitoring reports. Monitoring reports are to be submitted by February
1 of each year following the first anniversary of the effective date of the
Source Protection Plan. Monitoring reports shall include information since
the submission of the previous monitoring report to December 31 of the
year previous to the deadline for report submission. For the first report, the
information shall include information from the effective date of the Source
Protection Plan.