How can my property be regulated?

You may not know that your property may be regulated right under your nose. The Conservation Authorities are tasked with identifying and protecting watercourses, wetlands and shorelines. This duty to protect has led to many properties having their usable lands reduced, some completely. When you have property that has any identifiable features that may fall under your local governing Conservation Authorities purview to regulate. They will add that section of property to their mapping software and now you no longer have the ability to build on or alter that section of property without prior approval.

What does it mean if my property has Conservation Authority Regulated lands? 

You no longer have a say in what you can do with those areas of your property. There are different classes of protection that are used, but in most instances development is prohibited if there are any ecologically sensitive animals or plants. If there is a risk of contaminating or altering a significant watercourse, then development is completely prohibited. There are a number of cases where the regulated areas do allow for building and development to occur, and many times the regulated area is an accident which can be quickly resolved with a site meeting with a Conservation Authority Technician. 

What to do if I want to build within a Conservation Area?

The Conservation Authority has a separate permitting system, similar to a building permit for a town or city. This permitting process needs to be complete prior to applying for the building permit with the township. After completing the work permit for the Conservation Authority, you are usually given a list of requirements that must be met during the construction phase of the development. So if you have found out that your addition or home build is going to be stalled by the Conservation Authority, please contact us here, and we can help determine the best course of action in working with the Conservation Authority.