Approved Updates to the Sault Ste. Marie Region Source Protection Area

The Ontario government is committed to protecting our lakes, waterways and groundwater supply, now and for future generations. To ensure that the drinking water sources continue to be protected in the Sault Ste. Marie Region Source Protection Area, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has approved updates to the Sault Ste. Marie Region Source Protection Plan, as recommended by the Sault Ste. Marie Region Source Protection Authority and Committee.

Protecting Ontario’s water resources is a key commitment in our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan.

The Clean Water Act, 2006 protects existing and future sources of drinking water. The Act ensures communities are able to protect their drinking water sources through prevention by developing collaborative, locally driven, watershed-based drinking water source protection plans founded on science. Protecting local drinking water sources is an important first step in ensuring Ontario’s communities are confident in the quality and quantity of their drinking water. Assessment reports and source protection plans are updated from time to time as needed to keep them current.

Amendments to the assessment report and source protection plan

The Sault Ste. Marie Region Source Protection Authority prepared the updates to help further protect sources of drinking water and comply with an amended Minister’s order issued May 21, 2019.

The updates include:

• risk assessments for liquid hydrocarbon pipelines
• mapping updates to significant groundwater recharge areas
• addition of policies to address liquid hydrocarbon pipelines and highly vulnerable aquifers
• minor updates to policies related to monitoring of road salt application and education and outreach
• minor administrative amendments to correct out of date references, names, and to fix editorial typos

The source protection authority completed the updates in accordance with the legislative and regulatory requirements set out in the Minister’s order, Clean Water Act, 2006, Ontario Regulation 287/07 (General), and Director’s Technical Rules.

The updates take effect immediately, the day this information notice is posted on the Environmental Registry.

Other Public Consultation Opportunities:

The Sault Ste. Marie Region Source Protection Authority held consultations while the updates were being developed. They invited comments from:

• the City of Sault Ste. Marie
• the Township of Prince
• the Sault North Planning Board
• bodies responsible for implementing plan policies, including the Ministry of Transportation
• the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

The source protection authority also held public consultation on the proposed amendments from October 23 to November 27, 2020.

The source protection authority considered comments and made appropriate revisions. We also considered comments received as part of the review process.

The approved updates to the Sault Ste. Marie Region Assessment Report and Source Protection Plan are available via the link provided in this notice and on the Sault Ste. Marie Region source protection website.

Other information:

The ministry has concluded that the legislative requirements under the Clean Water Act have been met and that comments the source protection authority received during consultation on the assessment report and source protection plan updates have been adequately considered and addressed.