Important Notice:
For members of the public interested in joining the meeting electronically, please contact the General Manager, Corrina Barrett, at cbarrett@ssmrca.ca to make arrangements. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Where there are only minor differences between the Source Protection Area boundary and the existing conservation authority boundary the members of the Source Protection Authority are the same as the Conservation Authority Board.
The Source Protection Authority is a separate entity administratively for the source protection program and is responsible for the financial management of the drinking water source protection program and to provide input on Source Protection Committee activities such as the assessment report and source protection plan. They also provide the technical resources and staffing that the Source Protection Committee needs to achieve the requirements of the Clean Water Act, 2006.
The Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority will continue to work under the mandate and objects of the Conservation Authorities Act while the Sault Ste. Marie Region Source Protection Authority will be responsible for tasks and activities that relate to source protection planning as defined by the Clean Water Act, 2006 and its regulations.
Working closely with the province, municipalities, landowners and other local groups, Conservation Authorities already plan and deliver watershed management programs and services for many watersheds in Ontario. Conservation Authorities believe in the importance of watershed management and planning, to ensure there are healthy and sustainable resources now and in the future.
Watershed based expertise
Several possible models were considered for Drinking Source Water Protection Planning. In the end, Justice O’Connor proposed a public planning process facilitated by Conservation Authorities. "These agencies have the legal mandate, the experience and the local ties to bring everyone to the table. Conservation Authorities have decades of experience in water issues and water management. They have abundant knowledge and expertise to support the planning process. Conservation Authorities were developed through partnerships with the municipalities and the Province."
“Source Protection must be undertaken on a watershed basis – the level at which cumulative impacts on the drinking water sources become apparent. This implies the need for a planning body to operate at the watershed level but with full participation of the municipalities in the watershed. Such entities already exist for the watersheds that contain over 90% of Ontario’s population: they are conservation authorities”
Justice Dennis O’Connor
Source Protection Authority Meetings
The Source Protection Authority meets to discuss source protection committee reports and review provincial updates. Meetings are open to the public.
2023 Meeting Schedule
April 18, 2023 SPA Meeting - Hybrid Meeting (In Person / Electronic)
January 17, 2023 - SPA AGM - Hybrid Meeting (In Person / Electronic)
2022 Meeting Schedule
April 26, 2022 - SPA Meeting - Hybrid Meeting (In Person / Electronic)
March 29, 2022 - SPA AGM - Hybrid Meeting ((In Person / Electronic)
February 1, 2022 - SPA Meeting - by ZOOM (video conferencing)
2021 Meeting Schedule
January 19, 2021 - SPA Annual General Meeting - by ZOOM (video conferencing)
2020 Meeting Schedule
September 29, 2020
April 21, 2020
February 18, 2020
This project has received funding support from the Government of Ontario.
Such support does not indicate endorsement by the Government of Ontario of the contents of this material.
April 16, 2024 Agenda