Effective February 18, 2020, the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) is regulating the entire Goulbourn Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) boundary as approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) in 2017. The RVCA will also be regulating 120 metres from the defined 2017 boundary, per Ontario Regulation 174/06.
Since 2006, the Province of Ontario has required Conservation Authorities to regulate development in wetlands and adjacent lands. The RVCA’s responsibilities in this regard are outlined in Ontario Regulation 174/06. Although the RVCA regulates all PSWs, the wetlands within the Flewellyn Special Study Area, which includes the Goulbourn Wetland Complex, were exempt while the City of Ottawa undertook various studies to better understand the hydrology of the area and a wetland boundary re-evaluation. However, in order to address the matter of ongoing interference with these wetlands, the RVCA Board of Directors, at their meeting on January 25, 2018, passed a motion to apply Ontario Regulation 174/06 to the Goulbourn Wetland Complex based on boundaries that were identified by MNRF in 2008.This was an interim approach until such time as:
- The City of Ottawa had concluded a re-evaluation of the boundaries for those wetlands within the Flewellyn Special Study Area
- The wetland boundaries identified through the re-evaluation were approved by MNRF
- Notification was provided to landowners
- The City of Ottawa adopted an official plan amendment to recognize the re-evaluated wetlands as Provincially Significant
These steps have been completed. The City of Ottawa adopted Official Plan Amendment 240 on February 12, 2020 to designate the re-evaluated wetlands within the Flewellyn Special Study Area as Provincially Significant. The RVCA now regulates the entire Goulbourn Wetland Complex PSW in accordance the MNRF approved boundaries, and the 120 adjacent lands. This includes PSWs that were identified through this process that extend beyond the Flewellyn Special Study Area boundary.
What Affect Does Ontario Regulation 174/06 Have?
Ontario Regulation 174/06 (Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses Regulation) under Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act, requires property owners to obtain the written permission of the RVCA prior to interfering in any way with the existing channel of a river, creek, stream or watercourse or for changing or interfering in any way (including hydrologic function) with a wetland. Therefore, property owners must receive approval from the RVCA prior to undertaking any development or site alteration within a Provincially Significant Wetland or within 120 metres of a Provincially Significant Wetland boundary. Development is defined as:
- The construction, reconstruction, erection or placing of a building or structure of any kind or changes to a building or structure that would result in an increase in size or the number of dwelling units,
- Site grading, and
- Temporary or permanent placing, dumping or removal of any material, originating on the site or elsewhere.
For More Information Please Contact Us
We encourage you to contact our office if you have any questions or would like additional information, including a site-specific map of your property showing regulated areas.
You can contact one of our Resource Specialists at:
You can also view maps, Ontario Regulation 174/06 and RVCA’s development policies at Regulations & Planning
