The Lakeshore Capacity Assessment Handbook is a supporting document to the Provincial Policy Statement (2005), which came into effect on March 1, 2005. The Provincial Policy Statement provides the direction on what constitutes matters of provincial interest in municipal land-use planning under the Planning Act. Under the water policy section (section 2.2) of the Provincial Policy Statement, municipalities and planning boards are obliged to consider impacts on surface water quality when making land-use planning decisions.

The Lakeshore Capacity Assessment Handbook has been developed by the ministries of the Environment, Municipal Affairs and Housing and Natural Resources. The handbook is a planning tool designed to help municipalities and planning boards by providing clear and consistent guidance on evaluating the impacts of shoreline development on the water quality of inland lakes on the Precambrian Shield. The handbook sets out a coordinated scientific approach that incorporates the principles of ecosystem sustainability and watershed-based planning to provide a basis for making land-use decisions that maintain or enhance the quality of these inland lakes.

The handbook includes proposed modifications to the existing Provincial Water Quality Objectives (PWQO) for phosphorus with supporting scientific rationale. The new guidance would be specific to inland lakes on the Precambrian Shield. To help to preserve the ecological diversity of Ontario’s lakes on the Precambrian Shield, a 50 per cent increase in phosphorus would be allowed over the background or pre-development level, with a cap of 20 µg/L (the existing PWQO for prevention of algal blooms).

To provide planning authorities, groups and individuals involved in municipal land-use planning with information on the management of shoreline development on inland lakes on the Precambrian Shield in relation to the policies of the Provincial Policy Statement (2005).

To propose modifications to the existing Provincial Water Quality Objectives (PWQO) for phosphorus that would be specific to inland lakes on the Precambrian Shield.

The Lakeshore Capacity Assessment Handbook is one of several technical documents produced by the Ontario government in support of the Provincial Policy Statement.

Appendices are available for viewing below:

• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Appendix C

This proposal was posted for a 60 day public review and comment period starting May 07, 2008. Comments were to be received by July 06, 2008.

All comments received during the comment period are being considered as part of the decision-making process by the Ministry of the Environment.

Please Note: All comments and submissions received have become part of the public record.

The Lakeshore Capacity Assessment Handbook was developed in consultation with a number of stakeholder groups, including the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the District Municipality of Muskoka, the City of North Bay, the former Township of Cardiff (amalgamated into the Municipality of Highlands East), the Municipality of Dysart et al, the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations, the Federation of Ontario Naturalists and the Urban Development Institute.

The handbook will also be sent to the following organizations for review and comment:

• Upper and single tier municipalities on the Precambrian Shield
• Association of Municipalities of Ontario
• Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities
• Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association
• Ontario Professional Planners Institute
• Urban Development Institute
• Ontario Home Builders’ Association
• Conservation Ontario / Conservation authorities on the Precambrian Shield
• Federation of Ontario Naturalists
• Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations
• Canadian Environmental Law Association
• Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy
• Ministry of Northern Development and Mines

Wolfgang Scheider
Manager, Water Monitoring and Reporting Section
Ministry of the Environment
Environmental Sciences and Standards Division
Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Branch
125 Resources Road
Wing West
Toronto Ontario
M9P 3V6
Phone: (416) 235-5701
Fax: (416) 327-6519