Approved amendments to the Toronto and Region and Credit Valley Source Protection Area Assessment Reports, and the associated Credit Valley, Toronto and Region, and Central Lake Ontario (CTC) Source Protection Plan

The Ontario government is committed to protecting our lakes, waterways and groundwater supply, now and for future generations.

To ensure the quality of Ontario’s municipal drinking water sources continue to be protected in York Region, Peel Region and the City of Toronto. The Minister has approved amendments to the assessment reports for the Credit Valley Source Protection Area and the Toronto and Region Source Protection Area. Additionally, the Minister has approved amendments to the associated Credit Valley, Toronto and Region, and Central Lake Ontario (CTC) Source Protection Plan. These amendments were recommended by the Credit Valley Source Protection Authority.

Working with our partners, our strong protection framework will continue to help ensure Ontario’s drinking water is held to high safety standards and that sources of drinking water in the province are protected from contamination and depletion for future generations.

Amendments to the assessment reports and source protection plan

The updates to the assessment reports include:

• updated protection areas around the Palgrave-Caledon East and Caledon Village-Alton drinking water systems within Peel Region. This is to reflect an allocation increase for an existing Palgrave well and the installation of a new well in Caledon East. It also defines the protection areas for other existing wells in Caledon Village.
• a minor update to the protection area for the Nobleton drinking water system within York Region to reflect the installation of a new well in close proximity to an existing well;
• updates to the Toronto Island drinking water system in the City of Toronto to re-define existing intake protection zones and establish new intake protection zones around a re-commissioned intake.

The updates to the source protection plan include:

• revisions to the definitions of existing threat activities, transition policy and timelines;
• revisions to policies, including those addressing the handling and storage of a dense non-aqueous phase liquids and organic solvents, to align with the 2021 Technical Rules.

The source protection authority completed the amendments following the requirements set out in the Clean Water Act, 2006, Ontario Regulation 287/07 (General) and associated Technical Rules.

These amendments take effect upon this posting of this bulletin (the Minister’s approval) on the Environmental Registry.

Other consultation opportunities

The Credit Valley Source Protection Authority held consultations while the amendments were being developed. They invited comments from:

• implementing bodies affected by changes to the protection zones (including the provincial government and local municipalities)
• the public
• the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

The source protection authority held public consultation on the proposed amendments from June 5, 2023, to July 12, 2023.

The source protection authority considered and addressed comments received and made appropriate revisions, where needed, before submitting the proposed amendments to the Ministry for approval. The Ministry also considered the comments received as part of the review process.

The approved amendments to the assessment reports for the Credit Valley Source Protection Area and Toronto and Region Source Protection Area, as well as the CTC Source Protection Plan, are available on the CTC Source Protection Region’s website.

Other information:

The Minister has concluded that the legislative and regulatory requirements under the Clean Water Act, 2006 have been met and that the comments the source protection authority received during consultation on the assessment report and source protection plan amendments have been adequately considered and addressed.