CAMBRIDGE – The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) will invest almost $35 million this year on programs that protect life and minimize property damage from flooding and erosion, improve the health of the Grand River watershed, connect people to the environment through outdoor experiences and manage its land holdings responsibly and sustainably.
The budget was approved by the GRCA board on Feb. 25. The board is made up of 26 members appointed by the municipalities in the Grand River watershed.
Municipalities will contribute about $12.5 million in general municipal levy to the GRCA in 2022; about 36 per cent of the GRCA’s total budget. The municipal levy portion is increasing by 2.5 per cent, which works out to an average of approximately $11.22 per watershed resident; an increase of 13 cents per watershed resident in comparison to the 2021 budget. The municipal levy portion of the budget is allocated to each member municipality using the “Modified Current Value Assessment” as outlined under Regulation 670/00 of the Conservation Authorities Act.
Other federal, provincial and municipal government grants totalling just over $3.9 million represent 12 per cent of the budget. This includes funding for major maintenance of water control structures, the source protection program, floodplain mapping projects and rural water quality landowner grants.
In 2022, the GRCA expects to generate about 46 per cent of its own revenue through sources such as camping fees, park admissions, nature centre programs, hydro sales from dams, property rentals, tree sales, planning permits and donations raised by the Grand River Conservation Foundation (GRCF). Finally, six per cent of the total budget in 2022 will come from GRCA reserves.
“The GRCA, like all conservation authorities across the province, continues to evolve and transition in response to changes to the Conservation Authorities Act and impacts of the pandemic,” says GRCA chair Chris White. “This budget focuses on responsible delivery of our programs and services and supports our strategic priorities and shared vision of a healthy watershed.”
The GRCA’s 2022 capital spending budget for water resources planning includes expenditures for water quality monitoring equipment, software systems and gauge equipment for its flood forecasting and warning program, as well as major maintenance for dams and dikes. Conservation area capital spending includes expenditures as part of the regular maintenance program, as well as spending on major repairs and new construction. In 2022, some of the major capital projects planned within the conservation areas include: construction of a maintenance workshop building at Brant, water service upgrades at Shade’s Mills, and Harris Woolen Mill masonry repairs at Rockwood.
The GRCA continues to work on the updates and implementation of a Drinking Water Source Protection Plan for each of the four watersheds in the Lake Erie Source Protection Region, including the Grand River watershed, as part of the provincial Source Protection Program under the Clean Water Act, 2006.
Along with supporting municipalities and other agencies in implementing the plans, the focus in 2022 will continue to be completing updates to the Grand River Source Protection Plan, GRCA officials state. This includes the development of water quantity policies, updating water quality vulnerability assessments, and the development of the annual progress report for the Grand River Source Protection Plan.
“In 2022, the GRCA will continue to manage the challenges resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” official state in a Feb. 25 press release.
