NVCA 2021 BudgetTownship of Springwater

Doug Hevenor, CAO │ NVCA │ November 23, 2020

NVCA in Spr ingwater

Creating a healthy environment and communities through innovative watershed management

Nottawasaga Valley Watershed

• Celebrating 60 years of conserving and restoring the Nottawasaga watershed

• Watershed is 3,700 km2 in size spanning 18 municipalities

• Significant natural features include Oak Ridges Moraine, Niagara Escarpment, Minesing Wetlands and Georgian Bay

• 18 Board members appointed in 4-year cycle by member municipalities

• One of the fastest growing areas in Ontario

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In Springwater• covers 543 km2 (100%) of the township

• Key watershed features include the Nottawasaga & Wye

rivers, Willow, Matheson & Marl creeks and the Minesing Wetlands

NVCA – Our Continued Direction

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Our Vision - A sustainable watershed that is resilient to the effects of climate change, urban growth and other stressors and provides for safe, healthy and prosperous people and communities.

Our Mission - Working together to deliver innovative, integrated watershed management that is responsive to the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the Nottawasaga Valley watershed.

Our Vision and Mission

2021 Program Overview

• New budget companion for our member municipalities

• Highlights each program

2020 Accomplishments

Watershed Science

• On-going development of the integrated watershed monitoring data management platform.

• Completed a Watershed Monitoring Strategy. • Accomplished a broad desktop assessment of evaluated wetlands

and unevaluated wetlands on a watershed/subwatershed basis. • Finalized the report documenting NVCA wetland mapping history

including protocol for future update efforts.• Completed natural heritage discussion paper outlining future

direction for this program component.

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2020 AccomplishmentsEducation

• Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our Education program shut down in mid-March however it is slowly re-starting working closely with the school boards.

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2020 AccomplishmentsStewardship & Restoration Services

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• Provided water quality and habitat improvement incorporating landowners and volunteers, through delivery of Healthy Waters Grant Incentive Program.

• Continued to maintain canoe route and improve fish habitat in the Mad River.

• Improved habitat for trout/northern brook lamprey and enhanced water quality in the upper Nottawasaga River by stabilizing 300m of erosive stream bank, installing 300m of woody instream habitat and 1,000m of livestock exclusion fencing and creating 2,000m2 of restored floodplain habitat. This work was completed with a wide range of funding partners.

• Improved trout habitat and water quality in Black Ash Creek and reduced flooding potential by removing the Petun Dam and restoring 130m of healthy, dynamic natural stream channel and escarpment valley

• Created 0.5ha floodplain wetland on Beeton Creek through installation of a rock spillway at the Ice Control Structure.

• Planted 107,850 trees on 27 properties across the watershed creating 134 acres of new forest.

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2020 AccomplishmentsForestry

• Received financial contributions (outside of levy) from provincial and municipal governments, Forests Ontario, corporations and private landowners totaling $272,222.

• Managed over 1,000 acres of forest; worked with 40 landowners to develop their Managed Forest Plans.

2020 AccomplishmentsFlood Management

• Monitored flood and low water conditions

• Inspected and operated flood and erosion control structures, including Utopia, New Lowell and Tottenham dams as well as the Pretty River dyke. The Tottenham Dam Safety Review was completed.

• Monitored ice conditions throughout the watershed.

• Ongoing maintenance and improvements to the NVCA stream and weather gauges to improve data quality and reliability.

• Further developed criteria for a Georgian Bay shoreline flood warning statement.

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2020 AccomplishmentsPlanning & Development

• Continued to process applications and inquiries under various provincial acts: Conservation Authorities Act, Planning Act, Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act, Aggregate Resource Act, Green Energy Act, Drainage Act, and Environmental Assessment Act.

• Finalized two National Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP) Risk Assessment projects supported through Federal and municipal funding, including updated flood lines for the Town of Wasaga Beach.

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• Streamlined the engineering technical review procedures of applications.

• Completed the Emergency Permit Procedure Guideline.

2020 AccomplishmentsConservation Lands

• Safe reopening of NVCA conservation areas after temporary closures, including thorough property and hazard tree inspections and enforcement during closure.

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• Worked with local community partners on conservation lands projects including the completion of the Utopia Conservation Area accessible trail with the Friends of Utopia Gristmill and Park.

• Completion of the 2020-2030 Land Securement Strategy. • Collaboration with Friends of the Historic Fort Willow on completion

of infrastructure projects and development of the Fort Willow Master Plan.

• Worked with events and groups to safely revise or reschedule over 60 bookings and events.

• Securement of funds to enhance conservation area signage throughout the watershed.

2021 FocusLooking Forward

1. Implications of Bill 108 and the tabled budget are still expected with transition years to follow

2. Continue to coordinate the implementation of the Integrated Watershed Management and Strategic Plans recommendations with our partners

3. Continue to work diligently to improve client service and accountability; increase speed of approvals; and reduce red tape and regulatory burden while at the same time not jeopardizing public health and safety or the environment in the process.

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2021 NVCA Budget OverviewBudget Pressures

• COVID-19 Pandemic – The pandemic that has caused financial troubles worldwide impacted the NVCA in 2020. We understand that this has impacted our member municipalities as well and that this impact will be felt for a number of years going forward.

• The provincial transfer payment to the NVCA through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) currently remains at $97,307 – almost 50% less than 2018 but there is no guarantee on how much longer this will continue.

• Benefits, Insurance Premiums & Property Taxes

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2021 NVCA Budget OverviewHow are we addressing these pressures?

Staff worked very hard to come up with a responsible budget

for our municipalities:

- Compared three year trends

- Eliminated a permanent full-time position through

attrition/retirement

- Eliminated step/grid increases for staff for 2021, giving

COLA only

- Looked at all expenditures to see where savings could be

found

- Increased potential revenues wherever possible

** Levy increase came in below Board approved guidelines

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2021 NVCA Budget OverviewSpringwater Portion of Operating Budget

Operating Levy

2020 Approved Budget$188,420

2021 Proposed Increase/Decrease $3,457

Total 2021 Operating Budget Request $191,877

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Leveraging Your Funds - 2021 Budget

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2021 NVCA Budget OverviewImpact on Residents

By Population:2021 increase 0¢ per resident increase

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$12.62 per watershed

resident

$1.12 Watershed

Science

$0.15 Education

$1.21 Restoration

Services

$1.08 Flood

Management

$5.39 Corporate Services

$1.69 Conservation

Lands

$1.98 Planning &

Development

Program Name

Cost/ Resident

■ Drinking Source Water

Protection$0

■ Watershed Monitoring $1.12

■ Education $0.15

■ Forestry Services $0.35

■ Watershed Stewardship & Restoration

$0.86

■ Flood Management $1.08

■ Corporate Communications $0.49

■ GIS & Information Management

$1.32

■ Financial Management $1.60

■ Governance $1.56

■ Human Resources $0.42

■ Conservation Lands $1.69

■ Planning & Development $1.98

2021 NVCA Budget Overview2021 Asset Management

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Springwater’s 2021 asset management contribution: $10,511**Down from $11,076 in 2020

Scheduled Capital Projects:• Dyke safety review for the Pretty River Dyke• New Truck• Parts replacement on flood and monitoring equipment to

extend life as well as• replacement of some end of life equipment• Computers and server upgrades and network hardware• Upgrade of the water system at Tiffin, replacement of an

AED, some signage upgrades and replacement of folding chairs used for schools and events.

2021 NVCA Budget OverviewTotal Request from Springwater

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Operating Levy

Asset Management

TotalRequest

2020Approved

Levy$188,420 $11,076 $199,496

2021Proposed

Levy$191,877 $10,511 $202,388

Difference $2,892

Thank-you

Questions?

dhevenor@nvca.on.ca

705-424-1479 ext. 225

Budget documents available at

nvca.on.ca

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