Province Information - Ontario, Canada

Ontario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are larger but are not provinces. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S. states (from west to east): Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania (the latter two across Lake Erie) and New York to the south and east. Most of Ontario's 2,700 km (1,677 mi) long border with the United States runs along water, in the west the Lake of the Woods and eastward of there either on lakes or rivers within the Great Lakes drainage system: Superior, St. Marys River, Huron, St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair (sometimes referred to as the the sixth Great Lake), Erie, Ontario and then runs along the St. Lawrence River from near Kingston to near Cornwall.
1. What provincial ministry, department or agencies are in charge of water conservation/efficiency?
2. Does the province require preparation of drought emergency plans by water utilities or cities on any prescribed schedule?

No.

Ontario’s Low Water Response program requires local watershed committees to be established to address drought conditions when water levels are impacted. “If a low water level is declared for a watershed or part of watershed, Water Response Teams will decide on an appropriate response.  For example, all permit holders for water takings in that watershed may be voluntarily encouraged to achieve water use reduction targets of 10-20%.”  Other measures and conservation practices may be initiated.

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3. Does the province have a mandatory planning requirement for drinking water conservation separate from drought emergency plans?

Yes
Additional Information:

Yes, for specific geographic areas.

The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan  requires that every upper-tier municipality and single-tier municipality begin preparing a water budget and conservation plan for every watershed whose streams originate within the municipality’s area of jurisdiction (section 25(1)). As of April 22, 2007, major development will only be permitted if a water budget and water conservation plan have been prepared in accordance with the ORMCP by the approval authority.

The Lake Simcoe Protection Plan (2009)  requires that municipalities in the Lake Simcoe watershed prepare and implement water conservation plans.

The Clean Water Act (2006) encourages water conservation as part of source protection planning. Source protection committees assess risks to the drinking water source through development of water budgets. If significant threats to water quantity are identified as a risk, the source protection plan must include policies to address that risk, such as water conservation policies.


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4. Does the province require implementation of conservation measures as well as preparation of plans?
No

Additional Information:
The recently enacted Green Energy Act (2009) allows the establishment of water efficiency standards and associated labeling of appliances and products sold in Ontario, anticipated to result in the ban of 13 L toilets. No regulations are yet in place to this effect.

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5. Does the province have the authority to approve or reject the conservation plans?

plan completeness?

No

satisfactory content?

No

Additional Information:
Not applicable.

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6. Does the province have minimum water efficiency standards more stringent than federal or national requirements?
Yes

The National Building Code of Canada is the model building code of Canada. It is issued by the Institute for Research and Construction (IRC), a part of the National Research Council of Canada. As a model code, it has no legal status until it is adopted by a jurisdiction that regulates construction. The Provinces and Territories of Canada are allowed to adopt parts or all of the code and alter the code as they see fit.

The National Building Code is currently undergoing revisions and a proposal was made in 2008 to update the Non-potable Water Systems section 2.7.4 to include design requirements in accordance with CSA B128.1 and to limit use of non-potable water to water closets, urinals and directly connected underground irrigation systems.

As of 2005 the National Plumbing Code does not explicitly mandate water efficient fixtures with a required maximum flush volume for toilets, or maximum flow rates for showerheads or faucets – instead it references the ASME A112.18.1-2005 / CSA B125.1-2005 standards which dictate maximum 13.2 Lpf flush volumes and maximum flow rates of 8.3 Lpm for lavatory and kitchen faucets and 9.5 Lpm for showerheads. The National Plumbing Code currently allows non-potable sources to be used with dual plumbing within the home for fixtures other than sinks and faucets, and rainwater to be used for underground irrigation.

The Ontario Plumbing Code (OPC) is more stringent than the nation requirement; a water efficiency section was adopted in the code, mandating 6 L toilets and has also required 9.5 Lpm showerheads and 8.35 Lpm faucets as of 1996. The Ontario Plumbing Code (OPC) was amended in 2006 to adopt the specifications in the National Plumbing Code to allow non-potable sources to be used with dual plumbing within the home for fixtures other than sinks and faucets. Specifically, the OPC permits rainwater (referred to as storm sewage in the code) or greywater that is free of solids to be used for the flushing of toilets, urinals or the priming of traps (section 7.1.5.3(2)). Graywater is not permitted for outdoor irrigation, however rainwater is permitted to be discharged to underground.

7. Does the province regulate drinking water supplies and require conservation as part of its permitting process or water right permit?
Yes

An overview of all relevant provincial Acts and regulations can be found here.

Ontario Safe Drinking Water Act (2002) – requires approvals for municipal drinking water systems in the form of licenses or permits. The Act establishes regulations for licensing, treatment and testing requirements for all categories of water systems, including small non-municipal and seasonal operations. Financial plans are one of the elements which must be put in place for a license to be issued. The regulation and guidance manual encourages full cost recovery and pricing of water and wastewater in Ontario municipalities.

Ontario Water Resources Act (1990) – The purpose of the OWRA is to provide for the conservation, protection and management of Ontario’s waters and for their efficient and sustainable use, in order to promote Ontario’s long-term environmental, social and economic well-being. The Water Taking Regulation and Permit to Take Water (PTTW) program requires any person taking more than a total of 50,000 litres of water in a day must first obtain a permit to take water. As of 2008, permit holders are required to collect and record data on the volumes of water taken daily and report these “actual” water takings to the Ministry of the Environment each year. Permits for new and expanded water takings that remove water from the watershed, as specified in the regulation, are prohibited in those tertiary watersheds classified as “high use.” Maps of high and medium use watersheds are available on-line at www.ene.gov.on.ca. Water transfers out of a water basin are prohibited under the regulation.

The Ontario Clean Water Act (2006) - requires that source protection committees be established, representing the municipalities, industries and people of the local watershed. The committees will assess risks to the source water, and write a plan to address significant risks. Conservation may be used to address risks to water quantity.

Safeguarding and Sustaining Ontario’s Water Act (2007) – amends the Ontario Water Resources Act to enable volume-based fees for highly consumptive commercial and industrial water users. SSOWA also amends the Ontario Water Resources Act to enable a Ministry of the Environment Director to require water conservation plans by PTTW holders and for proposed intra-basin transfers (not a universal requirement).

Ontario does not require conservation as part of its permitting process or water right permit, but it is a consideration.

The Water Taking Regulation requires MOE to consider conservation efforts in the decision to grant a permit to take water. The Permit to Take Water program requires new applicants to identify the conservation efforts they are undertaking and will undertake under the proposed permit. The MOE director takes the adequacy of conservation measures in accordance with best water management standards and practices for the relevant sector into consideration when assessing water taking applications.


8. Does the province support water conservation under its Drinking Water or Wastewater infrastructure funding programs?

Drinking Water?

No

Waste Water?

No

Additional Information:

No, with the exception of metering.

Canada does not have a revolving fund for infrastructure loans. Federally, the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) provides grants for up to 50% of the costs projects or up to 80% of costs in the form of below-market, low interest loans. FCM is an advocacy organization; however the Government of Canada endowed the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) with $550 million to establish the GMF program.

The GMF has funded conservation projects in the past that included feasibility studies of water conservation programs, water distribution system leak detection and control projects, plumbing retrofit programs, wastewater recycling and sustainable community plans involving water conservation. At this time, the funding focus for the water sector is on wastewater.

The Building Canada plan is the primary mechanism in Canada for funding water and wastewater infrastructure, and encompasses a number of funds including provincial and municipal base funding, gas tax funds and the Building Canada fund. Over half of the funding under the Building Canada plan is provided as base funding to municipalities, and the funds are generally administered by the provinces. The Building Canada fund promotes long term funding of water infrastructure projects, including projects designed to improve conservation of water. Funding focuses on improved treatment standards that emphasize the protection of human health. The projects are required to be supported by measures that improve the management of sources of drinking water, reduce demand and improve the management of drinking water infrastructure.

All projects are cost shared, generally in equal thirds between federal/provincial/municipal basis. The Building Canada fund operates through two components: the Major Infrastructure Component (MIC), targeting larger, strategic projects of national and regional significance, and the Communities Component that focuses on projects in communities with populations of less than 100,000.

To date, funded projects have focused on centralized infrastructure as opposed to conservation efforts, with the exception of metering. Capital cost funding projects must result in a tangible capital asset. Planning costs are also eligible, which could potentially support the development of water conservation plans.


9. Does the province offer other financial assistance? Environmental grants? Rebates? Tax Exemptions?

Yes.

The Province provides toilet rebates as part of the federal-provincial program ecoEnergy / Ontario Home Energy Savings program for energy conservation. These programs provide homeowners with up to $100 rebate for replacement of an inefficient toilet with a 6L or better model (50 per cent paid by the province and 50 per cent paid by the federal government ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes Program) .

The Province also provided a sales tax holiday on energy efficient (and water efficient) clothes washers. 

10. Does the province offer direct or indirect technical assistance to the public?

Yes.

Green Tips for Water Conservation around the home and in industry

MOE provided funding for the development of technical report on water and energy including the release of a WaterSmart Scenario Builder.

MOE provided funding for the Ontario Water Works Association Outdoor Water Use Reduction Manual 2008 

11. Does the province provide provincial ET microclimate information?
No.
12. Does the province have a water conservation and efficiency strategy?
No


Additional Information:
However, the MOE is currently working to develop a strategy under the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement and the strategy is anticipated to be in place by 2010.

13. Does the province have standards for alternative water sources?
No



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