Notice of study completion for the stormwater management master plan

The City of Waterloo, through Aquafor Beech Ltd., have completed a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) Study for the City of Waterloo Stormwater Management (SWM) Master Plan.

The SWM Master Plan updates the city’s 2005 Master Drainage Study, serves as a decision support tool as well as a methodology for the prioritization of works and is foundational to the establishment of city policies. The study area focused on all lands within the City of Waterloo municipal boundaries.

The study followed the Master Planning Approach No. 2 in accordance with Environmental Assessment Act as per the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MEA) document, October 2000, as amended in 2007 and 2011 and satisfies the requirements of Schedule A, A+ and B projects and identifies future Schedule C projects.

The Class EA process included public/external agency consultation, an evaluation of alternative solutions and alternative design concepts, an assessment of potential impacts associated with the proposed improvements and the development of measures to mitigate identified impacts. In keeping with the Class EA process, various alternatives were developed, evaluated and a preferred alternative(s) selected for six categories of stormwater management practices and program elements, including:

1. municipal pollution prevention, operations and maintenance (O&M) practices
2. market based strategies for private property (source controls)
3. stormwater for the capital roads program (conveyance controls)
4. stormwater management facilities
5. watercourse and erosion restoration
6. urban flood management and stormwater infrastructure

The recently completed project file report and this notice is being placed in the public record for review. Subject to comments received as a result of this notice, and receipt of necessary approvals, the City of Waterloo intends to proceed with the recommendations documented in the Class EA Project File using a phased implementation approach pending funding.  The Project File Report is available for review at waterloo.ca/stormwatermasterplan, or

Corporation of the City of Waterloo
Engineering Services
Waterloo City Centre, 100 Regina St. S, Waterloo, ON N2J 4A8
Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Interested persons should provide written comment to Jessica Kellerman, P.Eng., at the City of Waterloo within 30 calendar days from the date of this notice. If concerns arise regarding this project, which cannot be resolved in discussion with the City of Waterloo, a person or party may request that the Minister of the Environment make an order for the project to comply with Part II of the Environmental Assessment Act (Referred to as a Part II Order).

All Part II Order requests must be received by the Minister within 30 calendar days from the issue date of the notice. A copy of the request must also be sent to the contact person at the City of Waterloo. If no request for further review is received by the Minister by February 10, 2020, this EA Study shall be considered final and used as the basis for the future projects, programs, and policy in the City of Waterloo.