The Grand River Conservation…

The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) supports the proposed exemption of waterpower facilities from attaining Permits to Take Water (PTTW) under the Ontario Water Resources Act (OWRA) and moving to a “one window’ approach through provisions of the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act (LRIA). The removal of duplicate requirements will increase efficiency for waterpower facility approvals while maintaining regulator effectiveness.

The GRCA encourages the Province of Ontario to consider further reduction in duplication by also including dams not associated with waterpower that are approved under the LRIA for exemptions from PTTW. For example, a water management dam with an established operating plan could get approval under Section 23.1 of the LRIA. This would result in a “one window” approach for all dams under provisions of the LRIA and remove duplications between LRIA and OWRA.

Additionally, the GRCA recommends that the Province of Ontario uses information from the Source Water Protection Program to further enhance the Permit to Take Water Program for water takings that are not associated with dams. The information and tools developed through Source Protection Studies provide opportunities to streamline some applications and approvals, while improving the protection of water resources in the Province of Ontario. The GRCA is open to discussing further opportunities to align these two programs.