Councillor Neeson read the following Notice of Motion regarding salt management into the record; this motion will be considered during the April 2nd Council meeting;
WHEREAS road salt is a known toxic substance designated under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act because of tangible threats of serious and irreversible environmental and public health concerns associated with road salt; and
WHEREAS salt levels in Ontario’s groundwater aquifers, creeks, rivers, and lakes have increasingly worsened since the 1970s, seriously affecting municipal drinking water sources and aquatic life; and
WHEREAS Lake Simcoe is our closest freshwater lake and is the 4th largest inland lake within Ontario, host to a number of functions including a biodiverse habitat for over 56 species of fish, the source water for municipal drinking water for hundreds of thousands of residents within the watershed, including 41,000 here in the Town of Georgina, and the many other recreational and commercial functions it serves; and
WHEREAS Lake Simcoe’s salinity concentrations have increased over 500% since monitoring began over the past 50 years, with the primary contributor being runoff from the use of salt for winter maintenance; and
WHEREAS the Ontario and Canadian governments have taken many actions over the past 25 years including setting water quality guidelines, developing voluntary codes of practice, signing the Canada-Ontario Great Lakes Agreement, and holding workshops, yet still the salt problem continues to grow; and
WHEREAS numerous situation analyses have recommended salt solutions involving liability protection, contractor certification, government-approved Best Management Practices (BMPs) and salt management plans; and
WHEREAS increased numbers of slip and fall claims, and other injury/collision claims related to snow and ice, are resulting in salt applicators overusing salt beyond levels considered best practices; and
WHEREAS unlimited contractor liability is making it difficult or expensive for snow and ice management contractors to obtain insurance coverage, resulting in contractors leaving the business, thereby making it difficult for municipalities and private owners to find contractors; and
WHEREAS the Snow and Ice Management Sector (SMS) of Landscape Ontario is working with the Ontario government to institute a limited liability regime for snow and ice management, including enforceable contractor training/certification and government-approved BMPs for salt application; and
WHEREAS many Ontario municipalities have Salt Management Plans, but these often require updating in light of improved science and better salt management practices now available; and
WHEREAS The Town of Georgina shares fifty-two (52) kilometers of beautiful Lake Simcoe shoreline and all 288 square kilometers of the Town of Georgina are encompassed by sub-watersheds that drain into Lake Simcoe; and
WHEREAS road authorities that use salt, such as the Town of Georgina, must abide by, and benefit from, established provincial regulations around snow clearing and maintenance, whereas private contractors only have voluntary programs for salt use for private and commercial property management; and
WHEREAS the Town of Georgina has demonstrated great initiative in salt mitigation efforts including committing to the use of rock salt alternatives, installation of electronic spreader controllers on all material spreading units, reduced application rates when appropriate, use of pre-wet and brine when appropriate, and an updated salt management plan that outlines salt best management practices specific to the Corporation of the Town of Georgina’s winter maintenance operations
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
1. That the Town of Georgina urges the province of Ontario to work urgently with key stakeholders to develop limited liability legislation, including enforceable contractor training and a single set of provincially endorsed standard BMPs for snow and ice management; and
2. That the Town of Georgina urges the province of Ontario to create and fund an expert stakeholder advisory committee to advise the province and municipalities on the best courses of action to protect freshwater ecosystems and drinking water from the impacts of salt pollution; and
3. That the Town of Georgina continues to commit to the reduction of the use of road salt as much as possible while meeting local service levels and maintaining safety on roads and sidewalks; and
4. That a copy of this resolution be sent to all municipalities in York Region, all Lake Simcoe watershed municipalities; The Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation and The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority requesting their endorsement; The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO); all Lake Simcoe watershed MPPs; Conservation Ontario; The Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition; The Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition; Minister Todd McCarthy (MECP); Attorney General Doug Downey, and Premier Doug Ford.
Direction to staff to forward this motion to the Georgina Environmental Advisory Committee and to the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority for consideration.