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YORK REGION
Since 1997, the Rural Clean Water Program has been improving water quality by partnering with agricultural and rural communities to reduce water contamination on agricultural lands.
The concept of the Rural Clean Water Program (RCWP) began in 1986 when pollution of public swimming beaches became a significant issue.
Over the next 10 years, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) worked with a number of partners to develop and administer water quality programs that identified pollution sources and provided recommended courses of action leading to the restoration and long term maintenance of acceptable water quality.
With assistance from the following program partners and supporters, the Rural Clean Water Program was officially created in 1997:
- York Region
- Province of Ontario
- York Federation of Agriculture
- York Soil and Crop Improvement Association
Grant Assistance
The following grants are available to farm or rural non-farm landowners who implement projects to construct new structures, upgrade or repair existing structures (under certain circumstances), and/or enhance land resources as part of their RCWP project proposal application. A single property may be eligible for grants under each category.
Applicants are encouraged to seek funding from other sources as grants may be combined.
Total grants paid from the Rural Clean Water Program in combination with funding from other sources cannot exceed 80% of the total project cost (with some exceptions). Applicants are required to inform Program staff if additional funding is secured.
| Eligible Project | Grant Rate | Grant Cap |
| Barnyard Runoff Control & Clean Water Diversion | 50% | $5,000 |
| Cover Crops | $25/acre up to 80 acres* | |
| Education & Training | 100%** | $500 |
| Erosion Control Structures | 50% | $5,000 |
| Fuel & Chemical Storage | 50% | $2,000 |
| Integrated Pest Management | 50% | $5,000 |
| Irrigation Management | 50% | $10,000 |
| Livestock Fencing from Environmentally Sensitive Features | 75%*** | $10,000 |
| Manure Storage & Handling Systems and Composting Facilities | 50% | $10,000 |
| Milkhouse Washwater Disposal | 50% | $5,000 |
| Natural Area Enhancement & Creation | 100% | $20,000 |
| Nutrient Management Plan | 70%**** | $3,000 |
| Nutrient Management Strategy | 70%**** | $2,000 |
| Private Septic System Upgrade | 50% | $5,000 |
| Private Well Decommissioning | 100% | $1,500 |
| Private Well Upgrade | 50% | $1,000 |
| Silage Storage Enhancement & Relocation | 50% | $10,000 |
| Tree Planting | 50% | $6,000 |
* Limited to once over the life of the program
** Limited to once per year
*** 100% grant rate will apply on materials only if installed by landowner
**** Only available to farms not currently phased into nutrient management
legislation
Program Eligibility
1) A grant to implement all or parts of a RCWP project proposal application may be paid to an individual applicant* who:
a) Is a resident of Ontario; and
b) Is a registered owner** of the property.
* A partnership or corporation, controlled by Ontario residents, is considered to be one applicant and must meet all of the above conditions.
** Under this program, a person is deemed to be the owner of land if:
i) The person is the registered owner of the land and resides in the Province of Ontario for a minimum of 180 days per year; or
ii) The person leases the land for farming from the registered owner and has signed a lease that is satisfactory to RCWP staff.
2) The project must be located in TRCA’s jurisdiction in the Region of York and protects, restores and/or enhances surface or ground water quality, air or soil quality and/or fish and wildlife habitat.
3) Projects must meet all legal requirements, including but not limited to:
- Canada Farm Building Code
- Conservation Acts
- Ontario Building Code
- Provincial Acts
- Provincial and Regional highway setbacks
- Regional and Municipal official plans and by-laws
4) The following costs are eligible for grant assistance:
- Required permits
- Purchased materials and supplies
- Professional fees
- Fees for design, construction and supervision. Renovations to existing structures must demonstrate a program benefit.
5) Innovative technologies and projects that do not fall within current project categories may be considered on a project by project basis and are subject to approval by Program staff, York Region, and the Approvals Committee. Innovative technologies and projects must clearly demonstrate program benefits. For more information on what may or may not be considered an eligible innovative technology or project please contact Program staff.
6) York Region, in consultation with RCWP partners, will review the eligible project categories and program guidelines from time to time and may alter these at its discretion.
Please note:
- A completed Canada-Ontario Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) is recommended. Priority consideration will be given to projects on farms that have a completed EFP.
- All approvals and permits are the responsibility of the applicant.
- The labour, machinery use and in-kind time of the applicant, the applicant’s immediate family, and the applicant’s business are not an eligible cost.
How to Apply for Grants
1. Contact Program staff to verify that your proposed project meets RCWP guidelines and to arrange a site visit to your project location prior to project implementation. Program staff can help provide and co-ordinate technical assistance to develop your project as well as provide guidance to current project eligibility.
2. Obtain a RCWP project proposal application from Program staff.
3. Complete all sections of your RCWP project proposal application, sign the project application form, and submit the application and supporting documentation to Program staff. RCWP staff are available to assist you in this process.
4. Using the information on your RCWP project proposal application and information gathered on the site visit, Program staff will develop and then present an anonymous* project summary to the Approvals Committee for consideration.
5. The Approvals Committee will evaluate the project based on its conformity to the RCWP guidelines and on its potential to protect and improve environmental quality. The Approvals Committee has the option to approve, deny or defer and/or place conditions on funding. The Approvals Committee meets on a quarterly basis or as required.
6. Once the RCWP project proposal application has been reviewed and approved by the Approvals Committee, you will be notified by Program staff to proceed with the project.
7. When the project is complete, paid for in full, and you have copies of all receipts and other pertinent documents (i.e. permits), notify Program staff. A final site visit is required to confirm that the project has been completed as outlined in the project proposal application.
8. Upon confirmation of requirements in Step 7, your cost-share payment will be processed and sent to you via mail.
Please Note: If you have an outstanding violation with TRCA or any other regulatory agency, you may not be eligible for program assistance.
* Projects on properties within a Source Water Protection threat area and which require a Risk Management Plan will be reviewed by the Region of York’s Source Water Protection Risk Management Office. Property information, such as owner name and address, will be shared with the Risk Management Office during this review process. If the project is approved by both the Risk Management Office and the Approvals Committee, these projects may be viewed as a higher priority for funding.
Area of Eligibility
The map below illustrates the Rural Clean Water Program’s area of eligibility for landowner participation in York Region (shown in orange). Please contact us for more information or to begin your application.
Limitations to Grant Availability
1. Grants are limited to properties within TRCA’s jurisdiction, in the Region of York, with a completed RCWP project proposal application, that have the potential to significantly protect, enhance and/or restore environmental quality.
2. Grants are limited to enhancing and/or restoring water, air, soil or fish and wildlife habitat quality or preventing water, air, soil or fish and wildlife habitat impairment problems on existing farms. New operations, additions to the farmstead, new buildings or building expansions to increase herd capacity are not eligible under this program. A grant may be paid on a pro-rated basis for livestock operations only under the following circumstances:
- In cases where the structure has been sized and constructed for an expanded operation, a simple arithmetic formula will be used. For example, a farmer currently has a herd of 50 dairy cows (including heifers and dry cows) and plans to expand to 75; the storage is sized and constructed for the 75 herd size. The eligible grant would be calculated based on 50/75 or 66% of the final cost of the project.
- In cases where the herd size has not increased and where the structure has been constructed larger than that proposed in the approved RCWP project proposal application and in excess of the 400 day program maximum, a simple arithmetic formula will be used. The volume of the approved structure will be divided by the volume of the structure constructed to arrive at the pro-rating factor.
3. Any applicant who proceeds with a project before it has been approved by the Approvals Committee has no assurance that financial assistance will be provided.
4. An applicant must specify the program year in which the project will be completed. If the project cannot be completed within the specified year, the grant will not be paid. However, applicants may request, in writing, an extension from Program staff.
5. Projects initiated and/or completed before April 1 of the previous program year are not eligible for funding. For completed projects applying for retro-active funding, the Approvals Committee reserves the right to approve a project with conditions so that the maximum environmental benefit is ensured.
6. Funds will be allocated on a priority basis. Those projects with the higher potential for improving environmental quality will be considered first.
7. If the projects proposed in a single year exceed the annual budget, the Approvals Committee may restrict the number of grants available to meet local priorities and budgets. Applicants may apply again in the following year.
8. Other financial assistance programs can be used in combination with RCWP grants. Applicants cannot use outside funds as their cost-share contribution to the project.
Contact
For more information or to discuss your project and to arrange a site visit, please contact:
Nadine Abrams, C.E.T.
Coordinator, Rural Clean Water Program, TRCA
416.661.6600 x 5349
nabrams@trca.on.ca
PEEL REGION
Since 2005, the Peel Rural Water Quality Program has been improving water quality by partnering with agricultural and rural communities to reduce water contamination on agricultural lands.
In 2003, Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) began to develop a comprehensive program to provide technical assistance and funding incentives for agricultural landowners in the Region of Peel to voluntarily implement agricultural beneficial management practices (BMPs) on their land.
With assistance from the following program partners and supporters, the Peel Rural Water Quality Program (PRWQP) was created in 2005:
- Region of Peel
- Great Lakes Sustainability Fund
- Peel Federation of Agriculture
- Peel Soil and Crop Improvement Association
Grant Assistance
The following grants are available to farmers who implement projects to construct new structures, upgrade or repair existing structures (under certain circumstances), and/or enhance land resources as part of their PRWQP project proposal application. A single property may be eligible for grants under each category.
Applicants are encouraged to seek funding from other sources as grants may be combined. Total grants paid from the Peel Rural Water Quality Program in combination with funding from other sources cannot exceed 80% of the total project cost (with some exceptions).
Applicants are required to inform Program staff if additional funding is secured.
| Eligible Project | Grant Rate | Grant Cap |
| Barnyard Runoff Control & Clean Water Diversion | 50% | $10,000 |
| Cover Crops | $100/acre up to 50 acres* | |
| Education & Training | 100%** | $1,000 |
| Erosion Control Structures | 70% | $10,000 |
| Fuel & Chemical Storage | 50% | $3,000 |
| Integrated Pest Management | 50% | $5,000 |
| Irrigation Management | 50% | $10,000 |
| Livestock Fencing from Environmentally Sensitive Features | 80%*** | $20,000 |
| Manure Storage & Handling Systems and Composting Facilities | 50% | $25,000 |
| Milkhouse Washwater Disposal | 50% | $10,000 |
| Natural Area Enhancement & Creation | 100% | $20,000 |
| Nutrient Management Plan | 70%**** | $3,000 |
| Nutrient Management Strategy | 70%**** | $2,000 |
| Private Well Abandonment | Offered through the Region of Peel | |
| Private Well Upgrade | 50% | $3,000 |
| Silage Storage Enhancement & Relocation | 50% | $15,000 |
| Tree Planting | 100% | $10,000 |
* Limited to a maximum of 50 ac/farm business over the life of the program
** Limited to once per year
*** 100% grant rate will apply on materials only if installed by landowner
**** Only available to farms not currently phased into nutrient management legislation
Program Eligibility
1. A grant to implement all or parts of a PRWQP project proposal application may be paid to an individual applicant* who:
a) Is a resident of Ontario; and
b) Is a registered owner of the property** that:
i) Has a valid Farm Business Registration Number (FBRN); or
ii) Has a copy of a FBRN Religious Exemption letter obtained from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Appeal Tribunal; and/or
iii) Files business and/or farm income/loss taxes in Ontario.
* A partnership or corporation, controlled by Ontario residents, is considered to be one applicant and must meet all of the above conditions.
** Under this program, a person is deemed to be the owner of land if:
i) The person is the registered owner of the land and resides in the Province of Ontario for a minimum of 180 days per year; or
ii) The person leases the land for farming from the registered owner and has signed a lease that is satisfactory to Program staff.
2. Completes a current edition Canada-Ontario Environmental Farm Plan (EFP).
3. The project must be located in the Region of Peel and protects, restores and/or enhances surface or ground water quality, air or soil quality and/or fish and wildlife habitat in the Region of Peel.
4. Projects must meet all legal requirements including but not limited to:
- Canada Farm Building Code
- Conservation Acts
- Ontario Building Code
- Provincial Acts
- Provincial and Regional highway setbacks
- Regional and Municipal official plans and by-laws
5. The following costs are eligible for grant assistance:
- Required permits
- Purchased materials and supplies
- Professional fees
- Fees for design, construction and supervision. Renovations to existing structures must demonstrate a program benefit.
6. Innovative technologies and projects that do not fall within current project categories may be considered on a project by project basis and are subject to approval by Program staff, Region of Peel and the Approvals Committee. Innovative technologies and projects must clearly demonstrate program benefits. For more information on what may or may not be considered an eligible innovative technology or project please contact Program staff.
7. The Region of Peel, in consultation with the PRWQP partners, will review the eligible project categories and program guidelines from time to time and may alter these at its discretion.
Please note:
- All approvals and permits are the responsibility of the applicant.
- The labour, machinery use and in-kind time of the applicant, the applicant’s immediate family and the applicant’s business are not an eligible cost.
How to Apply for Grants
1. Contact Program staff to verify that your proposed project meets PRWQP guidelines and to arrange a site visit at your project location prior to project implementation. Program staff can help provide and co-ordinate technical assistance to develop your project as well as provide guidance to current project eligibility.
2. Obtain a PRWQP project proposal application from Program staff.
3. Complete all sections of your PRWQP project proposal application, sign the project application form and submit the application and supporting documentation to Program staff. Program staff are available to assist you in this process.
4. Using the information on your PRWQP project proposal application and information gathered on the site visit, Program staff will develop an anonymous* project summary which is then circulated to the Region of Peel staff for review of the projects technical components, conformity to the PRWQP guidelines and its potential to achieve program goals. From this review, Regional staff provide project recommendations to the Approvals Committee.
5. The Approvals Committee will evaluate the project based on its conformity to the PRWQP guidelines and on its potential to protect and improve environmental quality. The Approvals Committee has the option to approve, deny or defer and/or place conditions on funding. The Approvals Committee meets on a quarterly basis or as required.
6. Once the PRWQP project proposal application has been reviewed and approved by the Approvals Committee, you will be notified by Program staff to proceed with the project.
7. When the project is complete, paid for in full, and you have copies of all receipts and other pertinent documents (i.e. permits), notify Program staff. A final site visit is required to confirm that the project has been completed as outlined in the project proposal application.
8. Upon confirmation of requirements in Step 7, your cost-share payment will be processed and sent to you via mail.
* Projects on properties within a Source Water Protection threat area and which require a Risk Management Plan will be reviewed by the Region of Peel’s Source Water Protection Risk Management Office. Property information, such as owner name and address, will be shared with the Risk Management Office during this review process. If the project is approved by both the Risk Management Office and the Approvals Committee, these projects may be viewed as a higher priority for funding.
Area of Eligibility
The map below illustrates the Peel Rural Water Quality Program’s area of eligibility for landowner participation in Peel Region. The program is administered by TRCA (shown in orange) and Credit Valley Conservation (shown in yellow). Landowners should contact their respective Conservation Authority for assistance.
Limitations to Grant Availability
1. Grants are limited to properties in the Region of Peel, with a completed PRWQP project proposal application, that have the potential to significantly protect, enhance and/or restore environmental quality.
2. Grants are limited to enhancing and/or restoring water, air, soil or fish and wildlife habitat quality or preventing water, air, soil or fish and wildlife habitat impairment on existing farms. New operations, additions to the farmstead, new buildings or building expansions to increase herd capacity are not eligible under this program. A grant may be paid on a pro-rated basis for livestock operations only under the following circumstances:
- In cases where the structure has been sized and constructed for an expanded operation, a simple arithmetic formula will be used. For example, a farmer currently has a herd of 50 dairy cows (including heifers and dry cows) and plans to expand to 75; the storage is sized and constructed for the 75 herd size. The eligible grant would be calculated based on 50/75 or 66% of the final cost of the project.
- In cases where the herd size has not increased and where the structure has been constructed larger than that proposed in the approved PRWQP project proposal application and in excess of the 400 day program maximum, a simple arithmetic formula will be used. The volume of the approved structure will be divided by the volume of the structure constructed to arrive at the pro-rating factor.
3. Any applicant who proceeds with a project before it has been approved by the Approvals Committee has no assurance that financial assistance will be provided.
4. An applicant must specify the program year in which the project will be completed. If the project cannot be completed within the specified year, the grant will not be paid. However, applicants may request, in writing, an extension from Program staff.
5. Projects initiated and/or completed before April 1st of the previous program year are not eligible for funding. For completed projects applying for retro-active funding, the Approvals Committee reserves the right to approve a project with conditions so that the maximum environmental benefit is ensured.
6. Funds will be allocated on a priority basis. Those projects with the higher potential for improving environmental quality will be considered first.
7. If the projects proposed in a single year exceed the annual budget, the Approvals Committee may restrict the number of grants available to meet local priorities and budgets. Applicants may apply again in the following year.
8. Other financial assistance programs can be used in combination with PRWQP grants. Applicants cannot use outside funds as their cost-share contribution to the project.
Contact
For more information or to discuss your project and to arrange a site visit, please contact:
Nadine Abrams, C.E.T.
Coordinator, Rural Clean Water Program, TRCA
416.661.6600 x 5349
nabrams@trca.on.ca
DURHAM REGION
Since 1997, the Rural Clean Water Program has been improving water quality by partnering with agricultural and rural communities to reduce water contamination on agricultural and rural lands.
The concept of the Rural Clean Water Program (RCWP) began in 1986 when pollution of public swimming beaches became a significant issue. Over the next 10 years, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) worked with a number of partners to develop and administer water quality programs that identified pollution sources and provided recommended courses of action leading to the restoration and long term maintenance of acceptable water quality.
With assistance from the following program partners and supporters, the Rural Clean Water Program was officially created in 1997:
- York Region
- Province of Ontario
- York Federation of Agriculture
- York Soil and Crop Improvement Association
Currently, there are no opportunities for financial assistance available; however, technical assistance can still be accessed to support your project.
Technical assistance and financial incentive may also be available through the following programs:
- Caring for the Moraine (TRCA)
- Private Land Tree Planting Programs (TRCA)
- Canada-Ontario Environmental Farm Plan (OSCIA)
- Species at Risk (OSCIA)
- Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MNR)
Contact
For More Information Contact:
Nadine Abrams, C.E.T.
Coordinator, Rural Clean Water Program, TRCA
416.661.6600 x 5349
nabrams@trca.on.ca
DUFFERIN COUNTY
In 2017, Dufferin County and partners initiated the Dufferin Rural Water Quality Program (RWQP) to help improve the water quality in Dufferin County.
This county-wide program provides technical and financial assistance to agricultural landowners to enable them to voluntarily implement best management practices that improve and protect water quality.
The program builds on the Upper Grand Rural Water Quality Program which was established in 2008 with input from the local agricultural community. The benefits of improved water quality include a safe secure water supply, a healthy aquatic ecosystem, increased recreational opportunities, sustainable agricultural operations and a vibrant economy.
Grant Assistance
The Dufferin RWQP funds a wide variety of Best Management Practices. Financial incentives will be offered as a grant to share the implementation costs of a project.
RWQP grants may be combined (stacked) with funding from other sources. Where landowners receive funds through another program, the grant rates will be adjusted to ensure that landowners do not receive more than 100% towards the cost of their projects. Applicants must inform RWQP staff if receiving cost share funding from other sources.
Completion of an Environmental Farm Plan (or Rural Landowner Stewardship Guide) is required prior to grant/incentive payment.
The following table outlines the eligible project categories and corresponding grant rates available to farmers and rural non-farm landowners:
| Eligible Project | Grant Rate | Maximum Grant | Performance Incentive |
| Clean Water Diversion | 50% | $3,000 | |
| Exclusion Fencing | 75-100% | $5,000 | |
| Nutrient Management Plans | 75-100% | $2,000 | |
| Erosion Control Structures | 50% | $5,000 | |
| Machinery Crossing Improvements | 50% | $3,000 | |
| Cover Crops | $40/acre. Up to 40 acres | ||
| Living Snow Fences | 100% | $5,000 | $450/acre years 1-3 and $200/acre years 4-10. |
| Tree Planting and Fragile Land Retirement | 75% | $5,000 | |
| Wetland Creation | 50% | $5,000 | |
| Wellhead Decommission | 100% | $1,000 | |
| Innovative Technologies | Innovative technologies and projects that do not conform to RWQP guidelines are considered by the Steering Committee on a project by project basis. | ||
Program Eligibility / How to Apply
For information on program eligibility, how to apply, and limitations on grants, please refer to the program guideline.
Area of Eligibility
The map below illustrates the Dufferin Rural Water Quality Program’s area of eligibility for landowner participation in Dufferin County. Landowners should contact their respective Conservation Authority for assistance.
Contact
For more information or to discuss your project and to arrange a site visit, please contact:
Nadine Abrams, C.E.T.
Coordinator, Rural Clean Water Program, TRCA
416.661.6600 x 5349
nabrams@trca.on.ca
RESOURCES
Local Agricultural Organizations
- Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association
- Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association – Environmental Farm Plan
- York Federation of Agriculture
- Peel Federation of Agriculture
- Ontario Equestrian Federation
Provincial Government
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Directory of Licensed Well Contractors in Ontario
- Ministry of Natural Resources (Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program)
- Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change
Other Conservation Authorities
- Conservation Ontario
- Credit Valley Conservation
- Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
- Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority
- Kawartha Conservation
- Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority
Other Resources
- Ontario On-Site Wastewater Association
- Directory of Septic System Installers, Inspectors and Consultants
- Canadian Farm Builders Association
- Ontario Drinking Water Source Protection
- CURB Reports
- O.M.E. Report Collection