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Land Use
IJC Recommendation
"The Governments should provide for a binational study
of the effects of changes in land use on Great Lakes water quality to
determine the measures that should be taken to address these changes,
including:
(i) the effects of urban and residential growth,
(ii) the effectiveness of existing policies and programs
in controlling pollution from land use in all sectors, and
(iii) the identification of measures that should be taken
by provincial and state governments, with appropriate assistance from
the Parties, to prevent adverse effects.
Governments should proceed with implementation of the SOLEC
work on Biodiversity Investment Areas, emphasizing the preservation and
rehabilitation of wetlands."
Response to Recommendation
The Government of Canada agrees that changing land use is one of the
dominant long-term threats facing the Great Lakes basin ecosystem. Over
the next 20 years, the Great Lakes basin is expected to account for one-half
of total population growth in Canada. By 2020, it is estimated that the
number of Canadians in the basin will have increased by more than 2 million -
a growth rate of 22%. Most of this growth will occur along the western
end of Lake Ontario in what is referred to as the Golden Horseshoe region
(extending from Niagara Falls to Oshawa) - the third most rapidly
growing population centre in North America.
Urban land use pressures are being explicitly dealt with in the two largest
AOCs - Toronto and Region, and Hamilton Harbour - both of which
are located in the centre of Ontario's rapidly growing urban area. Both
of these AOCs have made linkages with local and regional land use planning
processes. Land use issues are also being addressed in the development
of LaMPs. In addition to Toronto and Region, and Hamilton Harbour, both
the previous Great Lakes Cleanup Fund and its successor, the Great Lakes
Sustainability Fund, have put a high priority on funding Natural Heritage
Strategies, which deal with urban and rural land use issues in Areas of
Concern. Specifically, they have worked with Severn Sound, St. Clair River,
Detroit River, Wheatley Harbour, Niagara River, Hamilton Harbour, and
Toronto and Region to complete Natural Heritage Strategies. Natural Heritage
Strategies covering the whole Bay of Quinte are almost complete. Many
local governments have incorporated these strategies into regional and
municipal Official Plans, including Severn Sound, St. Clair River, and
Bay of Quinte. Work is continuing with Hamilton Harbour and Toronto municipalities
to incorporate Natural Heritage Strategies into their Official Plans.
The influence of land use on the Great Lakes basin ecosystem, including
its water quality, air quality, habitat, and biodiversity, was a major
theme at the State of the Lake Ecosystem Conferences (SOLEC) of 1996 and
1998; land use was again noted as a significant stress at the 2000 conference.
There are some forthcoming opportunities in Ontario to influence local
land use decision making in the Great Lakes. The Provincial Policy Statement
on land use is scheduled for a statutory five-year review this year, and
this may provide the opportunity to influence province-wide policies and
identify measures that should be taken to prevent adverse effects, as
called for in the IJC recommendation. In addition, as part of the Ontario
government's Operation Clean Water strategy, the Minister of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs introduced the first reading of the Nutrient
Management Act on June 13, 2001. Under the proposed act, clear
new standards will be developed for nutrient management on farms and all
land-applied materials containing nutrients relating to agriculture, including
livestock manure, commercial fertilizer, municipal biosolids, septage,
and industrial pulp and paper sludge. The proposed legislation would provide
authority for regulations governing several areas, including the following:
- mandatory Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs);
- certification of commercial land applicators of materials containing
nutrients;
- distance requirements for the application of manure and biosolids
near wells and waterways;
- banning the land application of untreated septage over a five-year
period;
- establishing and delivering associated education, training, and certification
programs;
- establishing a database system to record land application of materials
containing nutrients, with an initial focus on biosolids and manure;
and
- establishing minimum quality and application standards for land-applied
nutrients.
The proposed legislation would provide for a framework to phase in standards
over time, depending on the size of operations and the kinds of practices
that are carried out.
The province has also announced a temporary development freeze for the
Oak Ridges Moraine, a significant headwater source for the Greater Toronto
bioregion.
However, a major binational study of the effects of changes in land use
on Great Lakes water quality conditions - as called for in the IJC
recommendation - would likely be too broad and take too long to capture
the opportunities that currently exist to influence land use policy in
Ontario. While there may be some opportunity for a smaller-scale, domestic
land use study, the federal and provincial governments have relatively
little influence over local land use planning and decision making. (Provincial
policy can, however, influence the municipal planning process and guide
land use decisions on Crown lands - for example, forest management
planning). Therefore, the most effective way, at present, to deal with
the land use impact mentioned in the IJC's Tenth Biennial Report
is to
- review provincial policy;
- maintain a strong emphasis on integrating land use changes and pressures
into RAPs and LaMPs;
- maintain a strong emphasis on integrating land use considerations
into the development of SOLEC indicators; and
- ensure that urban and rural land use issues remain a major funding
priority of the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund.
Canada agrees in principle with the importance of conserving and protecting
ecologically sensitive areas. A range of government and non-government
initiatives already achieve this objective in some measure. The principles
underlying the Biodiversity Investment Areas (BIA) concept are important
and merit continued commitment and support. However, before embarking
on the implementation of a new initiative or concept, the Parties need
to take stock of existing protection and conservation initiatives, and
the extent to which these important principles are being met. Canada's
approach will be to work toward one set of shared ecologically sensitive
features or areas. In so doing, we will prevent duplication or reinvention,
and build upon and add value to existing initiatives; utilize existing
working relationships, partnerships, and partners; and where necessary
fill any missing links and gaps in our protection and conservation of
ecologically sensitive areas.
The path forward will require further discussion with other government
and non-government groups who share these principles but who may not have
been engaged in SOLEC to date. SOLEC has proceeded as far as it can in
focusing attention on the science underlying biodiversity investment areas
and in developing the BIA concept. The Canadian Wildlife Service - Ontario
Region is intensifying its focus on wetland science and indicators. Canada
views ecologically significant areas as components of the broader ecosystem
approach of LaMPs. To proceed further with a shared investment in ecologically
sensitive areas, natural resource agencies, including Environment Canada
and non-government interests, will need to consider how to ensure that
these principles are put into practice, with the necessary focus on science
and indicator monitoring. In this regard, a future SOLEC may consider
looking at monitoring indicators in ecologically significant areas as
reference sites.
Ontario recently announced a four-year, $102-million commitment to help
implement the Living Legacy program through new protected areas and the
Great Lakes Heritage Coast signature site. A part of this initiative could
directly complement the implementation of the concept of biodiversity
investment in ecologically significant areas. Canada supports this initiative
and the range of similar initiatives and programs, and is prepared to
offer its assistance, through COA and Canadian Wildlife Service's national
and international programs, in the protection and conservation of ecologically
significant Great Lakes sites.
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