The Restoration Process
If you are interested in having stream restoration or best management practices implemented please contact us directly through our Contact Us page. Below you will find answers to some questions you may already have.
Terms you need to know:
Class Environmental Assessment -The purpose of the Class EA is to provide efficient and effective project screening and evaluation, and consultation processes that are appropriately matched to projects within the class to ensure that the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and its partners take into account the potential environmental effects of proposed projects within the class. For more on Class Environmental Assessments go to http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/245471.pdf
Enhancement Strategy - An enhancement strategy is a general planned approach to rehabilitation carried out by an engineer, separate from the class environmental assessment. It outlines an estimated cost breakdown, materials needed and bio-engineering techniques needed to rehabilitate an entire river system. It also breaks down the specific sites on a river that need rehabilitated from low to high priority.
Site Design - Site designs are bio-engineered plans specific to a section of a river system carried out by an engineer. For example site M-40 is 300 meters long. A site design on M-40 would outline the actual cost to rehabilitate this site with the landowners input. If the landowner requires a cattle crossing for rotational grazing, the estimated cost of the enhancement strategy and actual cost of the site design may be slightly different.
Responsible Partnering
Manitoulin Streams works with landowners to rehabilitate waterways. Landowners should know that Manitoulin Streams does not proceed with any work or enter any property without landowner consent. All site designs and documents are subject to final approval by the landowner. The owner retains the right to limit and or to refuse permission to any individual, in his sole unfettered discretion, to travel or utilize the property. For greater clarity, members of the general public at large shall not be granted access to the lands and stream except with the expressed permission of the owner.
The Process
The Preliminary Process
Manitoulin Streams asks for an agreement to preserve the site in the rehabilitated state for a minimum period of 20 years. If your land is sold within that 20 year period, Manitoulin Streams will attempt to enlist the new landowner under a new agreement. Have more questions? Visit our Contact Us page.
After Your Property Qualifies
If your property qualifies then it will be discussed at the next planning meeting with the Board of Directors. Whether a project is chosen is based on several factors;
Once Your Property is Selected:
1. Manitoulin Streams staff will consult the landowner and take a preliminary tour of the stream on the property.
2. A landowner agreement is signed. The agreement states that Manitoulin Streams will proceed with the proposed rehabilitation with the landowners consent. The landowner is prepared to contribute 10% in kind support. Finally, the owner retains the right to limit and or to refuse permission to any individual from entering the property. Please view our current landowner agreement.
3. A tender is put out for a site design if required.
4. The engineer will meet with the landowner to discuss specific details (if required) and tour the property for measurements, photos and reference.
5. A surveyor will be sent to the property to obtain land survey information for the engineer.
6. The engineer will create a conceptual site design and meet with the landowner and the Manitoulin Streams board to review and receive approval to move forward with a final site design. The board decides whether to proceed based on the price and logistics.
7. If approved a tender is sent to construction companies to bid on and one company is awarded the contract by the Manitoulin Streams board.
8. In stream work is usually done between June 16 and August 31 of the designated year for cold water streams. In stream work on cool water streams can usually be done between June 15th and March 31st and warm water streams July 16th to May 15th but is dependent on whether the stream hosts certain species of fish. Manitoulin Streams would take care of the permits and verify the dates work can take place at the landowners site. If you would like more information on this topic contact your local Ministry of Natural Resources office , Manitoulin’s local MNR office is located in Espanola.
9. Once a contractor is chosen by the Manitoulin Streams Improvement Association Board of Directors, the engineer will ensure that the contractor has all necessary documentation in place (Insurance, WSIB coverage, bonding, etc.) prior to any work being undertaken.
10. The engineer will ensure all work is completed as per final site design drawings and will ensure all government regulations and policies (MNR, DFO, Transport Canada) are followed.
11. The engineer will prepare a summary report on the work completed at the site.
Have more questions? Visit our contact page and call or email us for more information.
Terms you need to know:
Class Environmental Assessment -The purpose of the Class EA is to provide efficient and effective project screening and evaluation, and consultation processes that are appropriately matched to projects within the class to ensure that the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and its partners take into account the potential environmental effects of proposed projects within the class. For more on Class Environmental Assessments go to http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/245471.pdf
Enhancement Strategy - An enhancement strategy is a general planned approach to rehabilitation carried out by an engineer, separate from the class environmental assessment. It outlines an estimated cost breakdown, materials needed and bio-engineering techniques needed to rehabilitate an entire river system. It also breaks down the specific sites on a river that need rehabilitated from low to high priority.
Site Design - Site designs are bio-engineered plans specific to a section of a river system carried out by an engineer. For example site M-40 is 300 meters long. A site design on M-40 would outline the actual cost to rehabilitate this site with the landowners input. If the landowner requires a cattle crossing for rotational grazing, the estimated cost of the enhancement strategy and actual cost of the site design may be slightly different.
Responsible Partnering
Manitoulin Streams works with landowners to rehabilitate waterways. Landowners should know that Manitoulin Streams does not proceed with any work or enter any property without landowner consent. All site designs and documents are subject to final approval by the landowner. The owner retains the right to limit and or to refuse permission to any individual, in his sole unfettered discretion, to travel or utilize the property. For greater clarity, members of the general public at large shall not be granted access to the lands and stream except with the expressed permission of the owner.
The Process
The Preliminary Process
- Your property must be located on Manitoulin Island.
- It must be one of the 184 waterways that are covered under the Manitoulin Streams island wide class environmental assessment.
- You must be able to contribute 10% in kind support towards the rehabilitation project on your property. In kind support can be many different things:
- Financial contribution
- Bought Materials
- Materials and resources such as soil, rocks, gravel, trees, seed, woody material etc.
- Labour
- Use of machinery such as trucks, tractors, ATV’s, buildings etc.
- A combination of all of the above
Manitoulin Streams asks for an agreement to preserve the site in the rehabilitated state for a minimum period of 20 years. If your land is sold within that 20 year period, Manitoulin Streams will attempt to enlist the new landowner under a new agreement. Have more questions? Visit our Contact Us page.
After Your Property Qualifies
If your property qualifies then it will be discussed at the next planning meeting with the Board of Directors. Whether a project is chosen is based on several factors;
- Funding – We receive funding from several funding agencies and partners . If the funding is not available at that time we may delay the project until it becomes available.
- Future Plans – If the project is part of a larger system that requires an enhancement strategy like the Manitou or Mindemoya River, Manitoulin Streams may wait to start rehabilitation. It is more feasible and cost effective to have things such as an enhancement strategy performed on a whole river system, instead of just one site.
- Is an enhancement strategy or site design required? If the watercourse that your site is on requires an enhancement strategy, its completion will be dependent on funding and the time it takes to complete the enhancement strategy before it will be considered. If your site can be completed with volunteered labour or a simple engineered site design it may be considered sooner because of reduced costs.
- The board members vote on whether to proceed.
Once Your Property is Selected:
1. Manitoulin Streams staff will consult the landowner and take a preliminary tour of the stream on the property.
2. A landowner agreement is signed. The agreement states that Manitoulin Streams will proceed with the proposed rehabilitation with the landowners consent. The landowner is prepared to contribute 10% in kind support. Finally, the owner retains the right to limit and or to refuse permission to any individual from entering the property. Please view our current landowner agreement.
3. A tender is put out for a site design if required.
4. The engineer will meet with the landowner to discuss specific details (if required) and tour the property for measurements, photos and reference.
5. A surveyor will be sent to the property to obtain land survey information for the engineer.
6. The engineer will create a conceptual site design and meet with the landowner and the Manitoulin Streams board to review and receive approval to move forward with a final site design. The board decides whether to proceed based on the price and logistics.
7. If approved a tender is sent to construction companies to bid on and one company is awarded the contract by the Manitoulin Streams board.
8. In stream work is usually done between June 16 and August 31 of the designated year for cold water streams. In stream work on cool water streams can usually be done between June 15th and March 31st and warm water streams July 16th to May 15th but is dependent on whether the stream hosts certain species of fish. Manitoulin Streams would take care of the permits and verify the dates work can take place at the landowners site. If you would like more information on this topic contact your local Ministry of Natural Resources office , Manitoulin’s local MNR office is located in Espanola.
9. Once a contractor is chosen by the Manitoulin Streams Improvement Association Board of Directors, the engineer will ensure that the contractor has all necessary documentation in place (Insurance, WSIB coverage, bonding, etc.) prior to any work being undertaken.
10. The engineer will ensure all work is completed as per final site design drawings and will ensure all government regulations and policies (MNR, DFO, Transport Canada) are followed.
11. The engineer will prepare a summary report on the work completed at the site.
Have more questions? Visit our contact page and call or email us for more information.