Conservation Ontario’s Business Case for Strategic Reinvestment in
Ontario’s Flood Management Programs, Services, and Structures
September 2013
Flooding is the leading cause of public emergency in Ontario.
Ontario’s Conservation Authorities need strategic investments into their flood programs in order to build resilience and adapt to more frequent flood events; and to reduce the costs of flood events today.
Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities

Watershed-based natural resource management agencies

Legislated under the Conservation
Authorities Act (1946)

Today: protect 46,000+ homes as
Don Valley Parkway, Toronto, July 2013 provincially delegated responsbility

Prevent more than $100 million / year in flood damages

Work in partnership with Province and municipalities
Aging CA Infrastructure
Under Resourced
CA Flood Programs
Increased Flooding & Runoff
Growing Population
Increasing Property Values
Provincial funding for Conservation Authority programs that help to prevent flooding and minimize risk has been cut 80% since 1995. As a result, Conservation
Authorities’ flood management programs are not keeping pace with escalating
extreme weather, thus creating a significantly high risk for long term social and economic costs and disruptions.

Examples of Conservation Authority Flood Management Tools

Floodplain mapping, modelling, and monitoring streamflow, rainfall and snowpacks

Regulate development in flood prone areas in cooperation with municipalities and the Province

Provide planning support & advice to municipalities to minimize flood impacts and issue warnings

Acquire important floodplain lands and flood vulnerable structures

Operate over 900 dams, dykes, channels and erosion control structures
(asset replacement value: $2.7 billion)
Strategic investments are needed into Ontario’s Conservation Authority Flood
Management Programs to build local community and watershed resilience and adapt to the impacts of more frequent events and to reduce the cost of flood event impacts.

$24.8 million – needed immediately to update current floodplain mapping

$50.7 million / year – ongoing investment required for all Conservation
Authority annual flood management operations including modelling, monitoring, regulation, operation of flood and erosion control structures, flood forecasting and warning, preparation and/or update of watershed and technical studies, and input to official plans

$27 million / year –investment needed to address ongoing maintenance costs of aging Conservation Authority flood and erosion control structures
Conservation Authorities currently receive $7.4 million / year from the Ministry of Natural Resources for flood operations plus, generally, an additional $5 million / year in funding for aging infrastructure maintenance. This creates a significant shortfall.
For More Information or a copy of Conservation Ontario’s Flood Management Business Case
(September 2013)
Kim Gavine, Conservation Ontario General Manager kgavine@conservationontario.ca
Tel: 905.895.0716 ext 231
Website: www.conservationontario.ca