Floodplain Management

Floodplain management in Ontario is a matter of Provincial Policy interest and the CVC is the lead implementing agency for floodplain policies within the Credit River watershed. The orderly planning of land use (e.g. through applications made under the Planning Act) and the regulations of development (e.g. through applications made under the Conservation Authorities Act) represent the preventative or proactive approach to floodplain management.

Under this preventative approach, the primary objectives are to prevent the loss of life and to minimize property damage. These objectives are met through a combination of three measures:

1. Prevention: Land use planning and regulation of development;
2. Protection: Flood-proofing and acquisition; and,
3. Emergency Response: Flood forecasting, warnings and disaster relief.

Provincial Policy on Floodplain Planning outlines the following principles and standards to which are reflected in the CVC Regulations and Policies:

• All land use planning and resource management bodies within the Province have regard to the implications of their actions will respect the creation of new, or the aggravation of existing floodplain management problems.
  
• The flood standard used to define floodplain limits for regulation purposes is the flood resulting from the Hurricane Hazel Storm (based the amount of precipitation which fell during this event) as the 100 Year Flood, whichever is greater.
  
• One Zone floodplain management prohibits or restricts new development within the floodplain (see below).
  
  

• Two Zone floodplain management may conditionally allow for development within the flood fringe, where it can be protected to the Regulatory Flood (applies to designated areas in Orangeville only).
  
  

• Any new development permitted in the floodplain be protected by acceptable flood proofing actions and measures, where feasible.

• Entrance and exit to buildings for vehicles and pedestrians should not be prevented during times of flooding.

Floodplain Maps

Detailed floodplain maps for all major watercourses within the Credit River watershed are available from the CVC. The specific policies addressing the above are fully detailed in the Authority Policies on Floodplain Management, which are also available from CVC.