November 9, 2022
For Immediate Release
Owen Sound,ON: Section 36 Source Protection Plan amendments submitted February 23, 2022 to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) have been approved for the Saugeen, Grey Sauble, Northern Bruce Peninsula Source Protection Region. These amendments were completed in accordance with the s.36 Order issued to the Source Protection Authority (SPA) as part of the Minister’s approval of the Source Protection Plan on October 16, 2015.
The focus of the Source Protection Plan amendments addressed the following areas:
1. New/amended Wellhead Protection Areas (Blairs Grove, Durham, and Dundalk),
2. New East Linton Intake Protection Zone 3/Events-based Area for large fuel storage threats,
3. Policy changes for salt application and storage threats,
4. Policy changes for fuel storage and handling threats, and
5. Policy direction for Risk Management Officials regarding Sec.59 land use screenings.

Pre-Consultation on proposed Source Protection Plan amendments was completed on September 30, 2021, with over 160 letters sent out to affected landowners/parties informing them of potential implications of the proposed changes. On November 19, 2021, the public consultation stage concluded, with a notice issued to local media sources, municipalities, Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) and neighbouring Risk Management Officials. During consultation, written comments were received by MECP, as well as from Wellington County on behalf of the Municipalities of Minto and Wellington North. These comments were reviewed and addressed though minor updates to proposed Plan amendments.
The Source Protection Plan sets out policies that use a variety of approaches to protect municipal drinking water sources, including education and outreach, the development of risk management plans, prohibition, land use planning, and monitoring. These policies will help keep contaminants out of our aquifers, rivers and lakes that are sources of drinking water. The policies in the Approved Plan came into effect on July 1, 2016.
The Source Protection Committee has pursued the goal of clean safe drinking water for residents and visitors to this Region and will continue these efforts as we continue with Source Protection Plan implementation.
The source protection planning process is directed and funded by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in conjunction with municipalities.
For more information and to view maps of vulnerable areas where policies apply, please visit our website: home.waterprotection.ca.
Quick Facts:
This Region is home to more than 160,000 people and covers approximately 8400 square kilometres.
The Source Protection Region contains 38 municipal residential drinking water systems including 29 groundwater sources (aquifers), 8 surface water sources, and 1 combined system.
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For more information contact:
Carl Seider, Project Manager, c.seider@waterprotection.ca 519-470-3000 x 201
To read the official Minister’s Approval letter: Minister signed letter 2022
To review about the updates on the Environmental Registry of Ontario, bulletin #019-5931 https://ero.ontario.ca/index.php/notice/019-5931