Approved amendment to the South Georgian Bay Lake Simcoe Source Protection Plan including the Severn Sound, Nottawasaga Valley, and Lake Simcoe Assessment Reports

The Clean Water Act (CWA) supports communities in protecting their drinking water sources from contamination and depletion. It does this by encouraging the creation of collaborative, science-based, source water protection plans that are locally driven and focused on prevention.

Changes proposed by the Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching/Black River Source Protection Authority are for the addition of two new municipal drinking water wells to the source protection plan in the Township of Springwater, supplying a new municipal drinking water system for Cassell Drive which will service a proposed residential development nearby.

The Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching/Black River Source Protection Authority conducted consultation from July 19, 2024, to August 21, 2024. In accordance with the Clean Water Act, 2006, feedback was sought from:

• implementing bodies, including provincial government ministries and local municipalities
• members of the public and affected landowners

The source protection authority considered and addressed all comments received before submitting the proposed amendments for approval.

Comments asked for clarification on scientific modelling and locations of the modelled area in relation to other infrastructure, which were answered and did not impact the outcome of these amendments. No other comments were received.

The minister has concluded that the comments the source protection authority received during consultation on the South Georgian Bay Lake Simcoe Source Protection Plan and Severn Sound, Nottawasaga Valley, and Lake Simcoe assessment report amendments have been adequately considered and addressed, and that the legislative and regulatory requirements under the Clean Water Act, 2006 relating to the amendments have been met.

These amendments take effect upon this posting of the minister approval on the Environmental Registry of Ontario. The approved amendments to the South Georgian Bay Lake Simcoe Source Protection Plan and associated assessment reports are available on the South Georgian Bay Lake Simcoe Source Protection Region’s website.