[All] Fw: Message from the Minister

[Louisette Lanteigne]

--- On Tue, 12/14/10, MIN Feedback (MNR) <minister.mnr at ontario.ca> wrote:

From: MIN Feedback (MNR) <minister.mnr at ontario.ca>
Subject: Message from the Minister
To: butterflybluelu at rogers.com
Date: Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 2:49 PM




 
 

 

 

 







MNR4046MC-2010-2229 

December 14, 2010 

   

butterflybluelu at rogers.com
                                                 

   

Thank you for your further
e-mail regarding potential impacts from development on groundwater in the
 Waterloo moraine.   

   

I appreciate your
concerns about the drinking water supply and sewage treatment capacity to meet
the future needs of the projected population in the Regional Municipality of
Waterloo.  As you are aware, the Regional Municipality of Waterloo (RMOW) is
responsible for drinking water and waste water treatment.  I encourage you to
contact the Water Services Division at the RMOW at (519) 575-4426 to discuss
your concerns.   

   

In
 Ontario , the Ministry of the Environment (MOE)
is responsible for the regulation of water and wastewater treatment.  The MOE
is leading Source Water Protection planning under the Clean Water Act.  This planning is
currently underway and the land use planning implications from that process
will be apparent once the Source Water Protection Plans have been completed. 
The Source Water Protection planning will address water quality and quantity
issues as they relate to municipal drinking water supplies.  The Ministry of
Natural Resources (MNR) is involved in the development of the Source Water
Protection plans and will continue to be involved in its implementation once it
is complete.   

   

Infrastructure planning
such as a water supply pipeline from Lake Erie 
is the responsibility of the local planning authority.  Infrastructure projects
initiated by a municipality must consider the social, economic and
environmental impacts of the project through an assessment under the Environmental Assessment Act (EA Act) which is administered by MOE.   The Act also
requires and prescribes public consultation processes.  Through the Environmental
Assessment process, MNR has a role as a review agency for some municipal
infrastructure projects.   

   

Under Section 67 of the
Environmental Bill of Rights, MNR considered the application (File No.
R2006007) for review of the Waterloo Moraine and determined that the public
interest does not warrant a Ministry review of the matters raised in the
application.  MOE has undertaken the Environmental Bill of Rights Review, which
provides an overview of the current legislation that applies to the protection
of water resources on the moraine. The review concluded that new provincial
policy or legislation is not required to protect the functions of the Waterloo Moraine
at this time. 

   

When MNR receives a
proposal under the Aggregates Resources Act,
we consider local municipal policies such as the Environmentally Sensitive
Landscapes designation by the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. 

   

My Ministry will continue
to work with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and local
municipalities to ensure natural heritage features are protected in local
planning policies.  In addition, the MNR will continue to advocate for and work
with willing partners and stakeholders on the development of natural heritage
systems. 

   

If you require more
information on the issues I have discussed, please contact Ken Cornelisse,
Water Resources Coordinator in our Guelph District Office, at (519) 826-6849 or
ken.cornelisse at ontario.ca.  

   

Again, thank you for writing. 

   

Sincerely, 

   

Original signed by 

   

Linda Jeffrey 

Minister of Natural Resources 

   

c:         The Honourable Jim Wilkinson, Minister of
the Environment 

            The Honourable Rick Bartolucci, Minister
of Municipal Affairs and Housing 

            Ken Cornelisse, Water Resources Coordinator,
Guelph District Office 

   



 

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