Clean Water Act Local Committee Selection Process

Chris Attema (Ontario Cattlemens' Association, Ontario Pork, and the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency) and Jackie Fraser (AGCare)

On July 3, 2007, the Clean Water Act was proclaimed and the regulations concerning the preparation of Source Protection Plans came into force.

The proclamation of this Act marks the beginning – not the end – of a process. We are still a few years away from the Clean Water Act legislation having any direct impact on the way that you farm.

The decisions made over the next number of months at the local Source Protection Committee level will influence the ground rules and regulatory framework for all farmers for years to come. The Source Protection Committee will develop three important documents that will complete the source protection planning process: (1) a terms of reference, (2) an assessment report, and (3) a source protection plan. The Source Protection Committee members have an opportunity to influence the final Source Protection Report and the public policy recommendations that could ultimately impact farmers.

Our first challenge has been dealing with the proposed method for naming Source Protection Committee members. Based on the Regulations, the Source Protection Authority (Conservation Authority) and the appointed, non-elected Source Protection Chair has the mandate to determine the composition of the source protection committee and select members.

As a guiding principle, our view is that representatives of agriculture on the Source Protection Committees must be accountable to their neighbours and impacted property and business owners in Source Protection zones. The naming of unelected and unaccountable Source Protection Committee representatives of agriculture is unacceptable.

OFEC has organized general meetings to elect the agricultural-sector Source Protection Committee members in each Source Protection Area or Region. By the time you receive this magazine, these meetings will have been completed. OFEC co-ordinated this process with the
understanding and hope that the Source Protection Authorities will recognize the elected agricultural representatives.

Unfortunately, one individual selected through a similar local process has not been chosen for the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Source Protection Committee. We sincerely hope this is an isolated case and that it may still be rectified.

The OFEC-co-ordinated election process is not without its own challenges, especially since the meetings were held during the busy summer and harvest season in order to suit the Ministry of Environment timelines. Even with these difficulties, there is reason to remain confident that the election-process is much better than any of the alternatives.

The Source Protection Committee selection processes will be completed by early November. In order to best prepare the elected members for their new challenges, we are working toward an OFEC-coordinated information sharing and training session for mid December 2007.