The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) will spend about $31 million this year on programs that protect water quality, reduce flood damages, protect natural areas, support responsible development and provide outdoor recreation and environmental education.
The budget was approved by the GRCA board on Feb. 26. The board is made up of 26 members appointed by the municipalities in the Grand River watershed.
The municipal levy portion is up about 2.5 per cent this year to $10.8 million. That works out to about $10.49 per resident. In total, municipalities will contribute about 38% of the total budget, or $11.8 million, with about $1 million contributed for the Rural Water Quality Program and subwatershed studies. Government grants, primarily from the province, are worth about $3.4 million, representing about 11% of the budget. Included in this amount are federal grants of more than $300,000 the GRCA is receiving through the Canada 150 Infrastructure Program. Finally, the GRCA generates just under $15 million, or about 47% of its own revenue through sources such as camping fees, park admissions, nature centre programs, hydro sales, property rentals, tree sales, planning permits, and donations raised by the Grand River Conservation Foundation (GRCF).
Budget highlights include:
– Emerald ash borer: about $400,000 will be spent this year responding to damage caused by the invasive insect.
Most of the money will go to remove hazardous trees in the areas where the infestation is the highest. Some money will also be spent on a continuing program to treat 200 trees;
– Rural Water Quality Program: About $800,000 will be available to farmers to help them undertake projects to protect water quality on their land, including tree planting, erection of fences along water courses, construction of manure storage tanks and other projects. The money comes from municipalities within the watershed, while the GRCA manages the program; and
– a three-year Wastewater Optimization Project financed by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change to help municipalities improve the operation of treatment plants. The result is cleaner effluent, which has a positive impact on the health of the river system and Lake Erie. Based on outcome of the work in the watershed, the program may be expanded across the province. The total cost of the project is $363,000 of which $125,000 is allocated for 2016.
The budget also includes funding for water control structures. About $185,000 will be spent on the Conestogo Dam, to review the gate electrical system, complete an analysis of the embankment freeboard requirements and purchase a backup trailer generator.
