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Stonecrest Annual 2018 Page 17 / 38
Conservation Authorities:
How they can impact your project and the
process for gaining their approval
When planning your Conservation Authorities through- certain types of activities, in cer-
project, following up with out the Province have the respon- tain locations. Agricultural activ-
sibility to regulate activities in ities occurring within or adjacent
your Municipal Planning natural and hazardous areas in to watercourses, river or stream
Department may be order to prevent the loss of life and valleys, floodplains, Great Lakes
property due to flooding and ero- shorelines, wetlands, and other
helpful in knowing other sion, and conserve and enhance regulated areas usually require
Authorities that may natural resources covered under written permission from Conserva-
the Province of Ontario Regulation tion Authority and should be used
have input and impact 97/04. for information purposes only.
on your project outside
of your local Municipal Conservation Authorities regulate A significant portion of the land
Building and Planning construction in or near certain base within the Conservation
natural features and hazardous ar- Authority’s watershed is dedicat-
Departments. eas, including watercourses, river ed to agriculture. Agriculture is
and stream valleys, floodplains, a defining attribute of the rural
Great Lakes shorelines, wetlands, landscape of the watersheds, and
and other hazardous lands (e.g. a major economic driver in the
unstable soils or bedrock). These province. Farmers are also con-
areas are regulated to help protect sidered valued environmental
people and property from flooding stewards of the land. Many farms
and erosion hazards, and to con- contain important natural heritage
serve important natural lands. features and resources which have
benefited from the protection and
To assist in achieving these objec- stewardship efforts of farmers.
tives, Conservation Authorities ad- Ontario’s Conservation Authorities
minister regulations which require have a shared interest in ensur-
consultation and approval for ing environmentally sustainable
stewardship of the land. As water-
shed-based agencies, these Con-
servation Authorities are dedicated
to the management and conserva-
tion of land and water resources
for the benefit of people, commu-
nities and the environment. Ag-
ricultural construction occurring
within regulated areas may require
written permission from the local
Conservation Authority before the
works can proceed.
Should your property fall within
