Saturday, November 16, 2019 the Boulevard Club, Toronto Whats in a - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Saturday, November 16, 2019

the Boulevard Club, Toronto

What’s in a name?

Also, the proposed title “Topics that keep you up at night” didn’t test well …

Current Issues & Updates

Terry Rees

FOCA Executive Director

The FOCA Staff

foca.on.ca/team

A busy year

foca.on.ca/latestnews/

A busy year

foca.on.ca/member-services/ association-members/

A busy year

foca.on.ca/about/our-work/

A busy year

foca.on.ca/events/

A busy year

Working on behalf of the waterfront community: foca.on.ca/about/our-community/

Carbon offsets for today

FOCA’s Strategic Vision 2018-2020

An Overview

https://foca.on.ca/our-work/

FOCA’s Dual Personality:

Water Quality & Environmental Issues Financial (Pocket-book) Issues

“focus on back-to-basics issues: water quality, environment, stewardship responsibilities.”

> Citizen science > Septic systems

“lobby on provincial issues – anything that is too much for local associations!”

> Taxation > Rural utilities

November 16, 2018

This time, last year, Terry was in Queensland, AU

Queensland in 2019…

Ontario in 2019… High Water & Flooding

~ High water also continues in the Lake of the Woods region Links & tips for high water events: https://foca.on.ca/high- water-flood-events-in- cottage-country/ November 2019: A new forecast from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office suggests that Great Lakes levels are likely to remain unusually high and may set additional records.

Provincial Policy Statement (PPS)

~ Overarching guidance ~ Contains policies to direct land use decisions involving matters of provincial interest, such as:

• building strong & healthy

communities

• ensuring wise use &

management of resources and

• protecting public health & safety.

The proposed 2019 PPS update includes changes to current policies related to natural heritage, water, agriculture, mineral aggregate resources & hazards. Read FOCA's response: https://foca.on.ca/land-use-planning-overview/

Aggregate Resources Act (ARA)

Changes to the ARA are being considered by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, that would amend some permitting requirements, and limit some rights of appeal and the application

• f municipal zoning.

What FOCA’s hearing from our members:

• conflicts with neighbouring land uses
• impacts on water and biodiversity
• and more…

Find out what was proposed, and read FOCA's comments, here: https://foca.on.ca/land-use-planning-overview/

Image: Unimin mine site, cambium-inc.com

Bill 132 - Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2019

Bill 132 is an omnibus bill that contains changes that will revise

• ver a dozen of Ontario's most

important environmental statutes Local Planning Appeal Support Centre Repeal Act Mining Act Northern Services Boards Act Environmental Protection Act Nutrient Management Act Ontario Water Resources Act Pesticides Act Safe Drinking Water Act Waste Diversion Transition Act Building Code Act Aggregate Resources Act Crown Forest Sustainability Act Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act Oil, Gas and Salt Resources Act Public Lands Act Highway Traffic Act FOCA will be commenting; due date is Nov. 27 ERO 019-0774

Electricity Pricing

Proposed elimination of the H1 “Seasonal Class” of Customer At the request of the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), Hydro One submitted a “Motion of Change” on October 1, 2019, recommending AGAINST the elimination of the Seasonal Class of customer. Ongoing shift to all-fixed distribution rates is already underway. Follow this issue: https://foca.on.ca/electricity-pricing/

Hydro One

Of the @154,000 “Seasonals” that would be reclassified:

• 84,000 as R2 Low Density
• 70,000 as R1 Medium density
• 300 as Urban High Density

What next?

• OEB is considering Hydro One’s suggestion to keep

the seasonal class (by moving to fixed delivery charges, the low use customers will be paying their fair share)

• If and when OEB makes a decision it will likely be

subject to Intervenor hearings

• FOCA will weigh in as appropriate and engage
• ur members accordingly

Ensure you are

• n the FOCA Elert list

to receive updates

What next?

• Effective Nov. 1 newly formatted bills will expressly

show the “25%” rebate that the Liberals introduced and the PCs kept

• This new layout for electricity bills, ordered by the

Province Oct. 2019 will not change the price we pay

• Electricity rates (/kwh) are currently frozen for 4 years

Algonquin Land Claim

• $300 million transfer to the

Algonquins of Ontario

• Transfer of not less than

117,500 acres of provincial Crown land to Algonquin

• wnership
• New recommended approaches

to address:

• Algonquin harvesting rights:

wildlife, fish, migratory birds, plants, forestry, parks and protected areas; Algonquin heritage and culture https://foca.on.ca/algonquin-land-claim- agreement-in-principle-signed/

Asian Carps

Asian carps were brought to North America in the 1970s. Since their introduction, they have migrated north through U.S. waterways towards the Great Lakes. Preventing Asian carps from entering the Great Lakes is the best way to protect native fish populations.

https://foca.on.ca/asian-carp/

Video on Asian Carps

FOCA & partners ~ Fisheries & Oceans Canada Please share this video with your members:

https://youtu.be/2oCiwbrlAuc

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

The Lake Partner Program:

Tracking Long Term Trends

foca.on.ca/ lake-partner-program-overview/

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

• Each year, > 600 volunteers

monitor water quality and water clarity in 550 lakes at over 800 sites

• Volunteers send water samples to

DESC chemistry lab for analyses

• Data are updated and shared

annually online

• Data used to assess and report on

water quality across Ontario

Largest volunteer-based water quality monitoring program of its kind in Canada

The Lake Partner Program:

Tracking Long Term Trends

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

Total Phosphorus (TP) Water clarity

• Important nutrient

controlling the growth

• f algae in Ontario

Lakes

• Estimated using a

Secchi Disk

Calcium

(since 2008)

• Essential element

that is required by all living organisms

Chloride

(since 2015)

• There have been

increases in chloride concentrations across the province due to road salt

The Lake Partner Program:

What we measure, and why

Protecting our homes, boats, cars

... and our volunteers!

One of our most significant member benefits: https://foca.on.ca/insurance- risk-management/

FOCA Publications – share these!

visit: foca.on.ca/publications

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

FOCA Report:

Septic Re-inspection Programs across Ontario

Download the Report (37 pages) from the FOCA website: https://foca.on.ca/septic-systems/

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

The goal of this research was to highlight promising practices and rural policy implications for municipal re-inspection programs for residential on-site wastewater systems in Ontario.

FOCA Report

Septic Re-inspection Programs across Ontario

This 1 page infographic is also posted on the FOCA website: https://foca.on.ca/septic-systems/

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

FOCA Report

Septic Re-inspection Programs across Ontario

see separate slide set: SEPTIC RE-INSPECTION SESSION SLIDES Project partners:

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

FOCA’s work

Videos on YouTube – share these resources!

See videos here: youtube.com/focaprograms/ Share these resources!

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

Strengthening Associations

FOCA survey 2018 ~ “pinch-points”:

short-term rentals boating issues and safety finding & keeping volunteers waterfront “etiquette”

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

Short-term Rentals (STR)

Municipal responses to STR

This session introduced by Terry Rees of FOCA With in-person comments from Bob Carter (lake association representative and municipal councillor, Minden Hills) And written input from additional municipal partners in:

• Blue Mountains
• Whitestone
• Huntsville
• City of Kawartha Lakes

See separate slide set: SHORT TERM RENTAL SESSION

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

Short-term Rentals

Links & resources

FOCA posts information & updates on our webpage:

https://foca.on.ca/responsible-cottage-rental/

Lunch & Open Discussions

Saturday, November 16, 2019

the Boulevard Club, Toronto AFTERNOON SESSION SLIDES

John Smol & Terry Rees were each featured in 100 voices for Canadian Science Communication

Under the Radar:

• Dr. John Smol, introduced by Terry Rees

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

Under the Radar:

long-term perspectives on ecological changes in lakes

• Dr. John Smol

Queen’s University For more about Dr. Smol, see: https://biology.queensu.ca/ people/department/professors/smol/ See separate slide set: JOHN SMOL SESSION

FOCA Fall Seminar 2019

FOCA Road Survey 2019

Image: David Cornish, Talpines Property Owners Association

Special cial Than anks ks to:

Mike Hammond

(Belmont Lake Association) for interim data analysis that was presented at a Kawarthas-region “Road Summit” event in June 2019

Michelle Lewin

FOCA Communications See separate slide set: ROAD SURVEY SESSION

Member Success Stories

Have a story to share?

Please come to a microphone, and keep your comments BRIEF – Just the highlights! (2 minute limit)

Please continue to send your member stories to FOCA: info@foca.on.ca

And remember to apply for the FOCA Achievement Award

The FOCA Achievement Award

celebrates the successes of the FOCA community and encourages peer sharing of best-practices. The award is given annually to a FOCA member association that has demonstrated a commitment to community betterment.

https://foca.on.ca/foca-achievement-award/

FOCA Achievement Award Nomination Criteria:

The Association:

• Must be a current FOCA member association in good standing.
• Recipient’s activities consistent with FOCA’s mission & vision:

“to protect thriving and sustainable waterfronts across Ontario.”

• Activities or achievements should be current, and

relate to at least one of these categories:

• environmental stewardship
• land use planning initiatives
• research and/or education
• political involvement
• other innovations or successes in line with FOCA’s mission & vision

apply by November 30, 2019

https://foca.on.ca/foca-achievement-award/

Thank you to our event sponsors!

Lunch sponsor: Refreshment Sponsor: Door prize sponsors:

Sponsors support our work. Please support them. https://foca.on.ca/about/sponsors/

Final Thoughts

FOCA works year-round

• n your behalf.

https://foca.on.ca/member-services/benefits/

Final Thoughts

See you next time! FOCA AGM is tentatively scheduled for

• Sat. March 7, 2020