Regulated Areas Mapping

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Protecting People and Property and Supporting Safe Development

In Ontario, municipalities and Conservation Authorities are responsible for protecting development from natural hazards, including flood and erosion hazards and wetlands. Accurate hazard information is the foundation of effective planning and helps ensure that decisions made regarding development keep people and property safe.

The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) maintains mapping that identifies the approximate location of flood and erosion hazards, wetlands, and the area surrounding wetlands, to support the Conservation Authorities Act Section 28 Regulation (Ontario Regulation 41/24: Prohibited Activities, Exemptions and Permits). The mapping is a screening tool used by the UTRCA and its municipal partners to identify areas regulated under the legislation.

The approximate regulated area depicted on the UTRCA’s mapping is based on the best available information at the time of map production. In case of a conflict regarding the boundaries of the areas where development activities are prohibited, the description of those areas in the Act and Regulation prevails.

A comprehensive review and update of the UTRCA’s regulatory modelling and mapping is underway. Most of the original hazard mapping was completed 20 to 40 years ago and there are many advances in technology, physical changes to the watershed, and new data since then. This important process enables the UTRCA to use the most up-to-date information to assess risk.

Changes and refinements to the approximate regulated area will be necessary and additional regulated areas may be identified (or removed). Extensive consultation (on-line and in person) and communication with watershed residents, member municipalities, and other interested parties will be essential to the process.

Screening Areas

Screening areas indicate where Ontario Regulation 41/24 is likely to apply and where further investigation of natural hazards and /or wetlands on a property may be needed. They are used as a tool to assist the UTRCA when assessing proposed development.

Properties located outside of a screening area can proceed as usual through the development process. For properties within a screening area, further analysis and discussion is needed to determine the impact of the hazard on development proposals. The type of discussion and analysis will depend on the site-specific situation.

In addition to flood hazards, screening area maps also include erosion hazards, wetlands, and the area surrounding wetlands. There are currently two screening areas in the UTRCA watershed: Dingman Creek and the Thames River within the City of London.