Location: Ministry Home > News > 2003 News Releases > Fact Sheet

News Archive

Fact Sheet

April 21, 2003

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WATERSHED-BASED SOURCE-PROTECTION PLANNING

On November 15, 2002, the Advisory Committee was established to provide advice to the government on a provincial framework for watershed-based source protection planning. The Advisory Committee met at least once a week over four months. The Committee had broad representation from experts in the First Nations, conservation, municipal, agricultural, health, environmental, industrial and academic communities.

Bill Calvert, Advisory Committee Chair

Bill Calvert chaired the Committee. In addition to his 20-year career as the Chief Administrative Officer of the District Municipality of Muskoka, Mr. Calvert is a registered professional forester and wildlife biologist. He has held several posts with the Ministry of Natural Resources, including Assistant Director of the Conservation Authorities Branch and Assistant Superintendent and Chief Naturalist of Algonquin Park.

Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO): Ken Boschoff, President/Pat Vanini, Executive Director of AMO; Mike Garrett, CAO, York Region; David Oliphant, Warden of Oxford County and Mayor of East Zorra/Tavistock

AMO is a non-profit organization with member municipalities representing 95 per cent of Ontario’s population. AMO has a distinct perspective on municipal issues related to source protection planning.

Conservation Ontario: Peter Krause, Chair; Richard D. Hunter, General Manager, Conservation Ontario; Don Pearson, General Manager, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority

Conservation Ontario is a non-governmental organization that represents a network of the 36 conservation authorities of Ontario. Conservation authorities are local community-based environmental organizations dedicated to conserving, restoring, developing and managing natural resources on a watershed basis. Conservation Ontario has considerable interest and expertise in source protection and watershed planning.

Ducks Unlimited Canada: Jim Anderson, Policy and Program Advisor, Ontario

Founded in 1938, Ducks Unlimited Canada is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wetlands for the benefit of North America’s waterfowl, wildlife and people. The organization has secured and protected over 18 million acres of habitat, and is formally recognized as the nation’s most trusted and respected conservation organization. Canada-wide, the organization has over 150,000 members and supporters and more than 8,000 volunteers.

Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA): Theresa McClenaghan, Legal Counsel

CELA is a non-profit organization established in 1970 to use existing laws to protect the environment and to advocate environmental law reforms. It is also a free legal advisory clinic for the public, and will act at hearings and in courts on behalf of citizens and citizens’ committees who are otherwise unable to afford legal assistance. CELA represented Walkerton residents throughout the Walkerton Inquiry. CELA also authored a major report on safe drinking water for the Inquiry.

Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA): Ron Bonnett, President

For over six decades, the OFA has dedicated itself to advocating on behalf of Ontario’s farmers on issues that affect them, including issues such as water quality and the impact of agricultural nutrients. OFA’s mission is to improve the economic and social well-being of farmers in cooperation with county, commodity and rural farm groups.

Aggregate Producers Association of Ontario (APAO): Jackie Fraser, Environmental/Resources Manager

APAO is a not-for-profit organization established in 1956, representing more than 230 companies and corporations in the aggregate industry in Ontario. The Association has been actively promoting and supporting public interest and the wise management of Ontario’s aggregate industry including good management of water resources.

Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC): John Maaskant, Vice Chair and Chair of OFAC’s Environmental Committee

OFAC is a registered non-profit educational organization. OFAC represents Ontario’s 40,000 livestock and poultry farmers, plus many other agri-food groups and businesses involved in animal agriculture and food production. OFAC’s mission is to support and promote the responsible operation and marketing of livestock and poultry by our Ontario farmers, and through a variety of initiatives to better inform the public of the excellence of animal agriculture.

Urban Development Institute (UDI): Neil Rodgers, President

UDI/Ontario has acted as the voice of the real estate development and building industry in Ontario for over 40 years. With more than 300 members, the institute is actively involved in all facets of public policy research and advocacy, working with private and public stakeholders across the GTA and Ontario. Membership includes: land developers, builders, land use and environmental planners, investors, financial institutions, engineers, lawyers, environmental scientists, economists, marketing and research firms and architects.

Chiefs of Ontario: Derrick Kamanga, Quality Assurance Engineer, for the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation (OFNTSC).

OFNTSC is a technical organization mandated under the Chiefs in Assembly, to provide advisory and technical support services to 131 First Nations communities in Ontario. Chiefs of Ontario is a coordinating body for 134 First Nation communities located within Ontario. The purpose of the Chiefs of Ontario office is to enable the political leadership to discuss regional, provincial and national priorities affecting First Nations people in Ontario and to provide a unified voice on these issues. The Chiefs of Ontario provides representation to the Assembly of First Nations.

Ontario Water Works Association (OWWA): Tim Lotimer, President

OWWA is a not-for-profit membership organization made up of water professionals in Ontario. It is dedicated to safe drinking water by advancing the technology, science, management and government policies relative to the stewardship of water. OWWA has more than 1100 members representing research scientists, engineers, chemists, hydrogeologists and managers and technicians employed by Ontario’s municipal water systems.

Ontario Chamber of Commerce: Atul Sharma, Vice-President, Policy Development and Chief Economist

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce represents more than 56,000 members through a network of 156 community Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade in addition to a growing corporate base. The organization serves both community chambers and corporate members in matters of provincial concern and provides a forum for discussion and the dissemination of the views of members on matters of concern to the business community. Ontario’s large and small businesses have an interest in good water management as it relates to the health of their communities.

Professor Carl Amrhein, Dean of Arts and Science, University of Toronto

Carl Amrhein has been the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto since November of 1997, prior to which he was the Chair of the University’s Department of Geography for four years. He holds a B.Sc. from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. from the State University of New York. Dean Amrhein serves on several boards and committees at the University, including the University of Toronto’s Academic Board of the Governing Council. A prolific author and respected scholar, one focus of Professor Amrhein’s research is urban environmental health.

Ontario Medical Association: Dr. Albert Schumacher, family physician.

The Ontario Medical Association is a voluntary membership organization representing Ontario's approximately 24,000 physicians. Recognized as the organization officially representing the economic and professional interests of the province's doctors, the OMA has proven itself as an effective political voice in Ontario's increasingly complex health-care system.

– 30 –

Contacts:
John Steele
Communications Branch
(416) 314-6666

Diana Arajs
Minister’s Office
416-314-6736