The Source Protection Plan will be the culmination of the CTC Source Protection Committee's work over the next few years.  They will be officially submitted to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment no later than August 20, 2012.

The Source Protection Plan will contain a comprehensive look at the physical and human characteristics of the planning region. Extensive mapping and data compilation will be carried out. Issues and threats to sources of drinking water will be identified. The goal will then be to find solutions and develop policies that will help to safeguard our water supplies.

Starting in the fall of 2010, the CTC Source Protection Region began to turn its attention to the development of the Source Protection plan. Working with our municipal partners, the Source Protection Committee is holding workshops through the spring of 2011 to start to develop policy options which will continue to be refined through the spring and summer.

What is a Source Protection Plan?

The Source Protection Plan is a series of policies that will protect our drinking water sources from current and future threats. These threats have been identified through the technical and scientific work in the Assessment Reports. The Source Protection Plan must have policies that address "significant drinking water threats" and may contain policies which address "low" and "moderate" drinking water threats.

All Municipalities' Official Plans need to conform to the policies that the Source Protection Committee writes to address significant drinking water threats, where applicable.

What is in a Source Protection Plan?

 The Plan will lay out how the risk level of identified threats is to be reduced and how future threats will be avoided. The Source Protection Committee has a number of tools at its disposal to write these plans, including:

1. prescribed instruments (other provincial approvals such as certificates of approval or nutrient management act);
2. requiring risk management plans (negotiated with property owners);
3. land use planning (ie restricted land use);
4. prohibition of activities;
5. education and outreach; or
6. combination of the above tools

In the coming months, more information will be available here as the Source Protection Committee begins to write draft policies for the public to give their input.