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Policy Id:

SPR/SPA:

Risk:

R-2

Crowe Valley, Ganaraska Region, Kawartha-Haliburton, Lower Trent, Otonabee-Peterborough

Significant

Implementing Body

Legal Effect

Policy Tool

Threat Type

Status

Comment

MTO - Salt

Strategic

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

Future & Existing

Implemented

Contractors working on the provincial highway network are required to conform to the Salt Management Plan. Training is provided annually before the start of the winter season to all of MTO’s maintenance contractors. The MTO provincial Salt Management Plan contains best management practices to ensure application rate, timing and location of salt to reduce the potential for salt-related surface water run-off and groundwater infiltration. MTO ensures the Salt Management Plan meets the objectives of Environment Canada's Code of Practice for Environmental Management of Road Salts. The MTO Salt Management Plan ensures the best available winter maintenance practices are implemented to ensure safe driving conditions on the provincial highway network, and consideration is given to local environmental protection including drinking water sources. Road salt best management practices have been developed by government and industry, primarily through the Transportation Association of Canada's Syntheses of Best Practices: Road Salt Management framework, and Environment and Climate Change Canada's Code of Practice for the Environmental Management of Road Salts. The best management practices typically included in a Road Salt Management Plan are proven and science -based. MTO’s best management practices for the environmental management of road salt include use of: •Road and Weather Information Stations for monitoring and forecasting winter weather and highway conditions in order to apply the right amount of salt at the right times. •Pre-wetted/pre-treated road salt and direct liquid application to increase the efficiency of the de-icing agent and reduce the amount of road salt applied to the surface. •Electronic spreader controls to ensure the right amount of de-icing agent is applied for the local conditions. MTO continually reviews standards, new technology, equipment and materials to optimize winter maintenance practices. Maintenance operations have evolved significantly over time. New technology, such as the Road and Weather Information Stations, are used to predict winter storms and assist with planning and deploying maintenance equipment and materials. New products such as pre-wetted salt and equipment innovations like automatic spreader controllers enhance the effectiveness of operations and decrease environmental impacts. The MTO Salt Management Plan was updated in April 2017. It is consistent with the Environment Canada Code of Practice for the Environmental Management of Road Salts, the Transportation Association of Canada Salt Management Guide and Syntheses of Best Practices, and the MTO Maintenance Standards Specifications and associated standards are appropriately referred to and up -to-date. The Salt Management Plan includes measures that protect water sources from the impacts of road salt through implementation of best salt management practices, opportunities for innovation and technology, and consideration of salt vulnerable areas when implementing strategies for reducing salt impacts. A copy of the MTO updated Salt Management Plan was distributed to all Source Water Protection organizations.

Policy Text:

Applicable Activities: The application of road salt is an existing significant drinking water threat or would be a future significant drinking water threat; and the application is being
undertaken by the Ministry of Transportation.

R-2(1): Ensure that efforts continue to identify and implement improved ways to pragmatically and logistically address the issue of salt contamination. These efforts will include the implementation of a salt management plan that contains provisions for mitigating the effects of road salt on wellhead protection areas and intake protection zones.

The salt management plan must include provisions for the following:

a) Where multiple road authorities operate within a vulnerable area, cross-boundary considerations will be addressed on an ongoing basis by all road authorities responsible for the application of road salt;
b) Where salt is applied by a contractor:
i) Ensure that contractors are made aware of the requirements of the salt management plan; and
ii) Require the contractor to advise the municipality with responsibility for the drinking water system if an alternate product is used for road maintenance.
c) Updating of the salt management plan within one year of the approval of an updated assessment report; and
d) Annual reporting on activities undertaken as part of the salt management plan to the source protection authority.

R-2(2): The ministry shall prepare, by February 1 each year, an annual summary of the actions it has taken to achieve the outcomes of the source protection plan policies and make that report available to the applicable Source Protection Authority.

Recommended contents of the report include, but are not limited to:

a) A summary of any changes to the salt management plan identified in (1) made in the preceding calendar year.

Monitoring Text:

R-2(2): The ministry shall prepare, by February 1 each year, an annual summary of the actions it has taken to achieve the outcomes of the source protection plan policies and make that report available to the applicable Source Protection Authority.

Recommended contents of the report include, but are not limited to:

a) A summary of any changes to the salt management plan identified in (1) made in the preceding calendar year.