Working Around Waterways
From time to time the City is required to undertake construction or maintenance work in and around a waterway. Works can range from minor to major construction, and may be required around City infrastructure such as a bridges and culvert crossings. Erosion of a waterway or ravine bank may require repair, restoration, or prevention work. All work around waterways require best management practices to keep deleterious substances from entering the waterway flow. Other work may require more formal authorization by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to prevent any “harmful alteration, disruption or destruction” of fish habitat.
All work must conform to best management practices and other bylaws and regulations. You can learn more about these bylaws and City action to protect waterways on the Illegal Discharge to Waterways page.
Waterways and Your Work
If you have a creek running through your property, contact the City before you plan to make any alterations to the creek or landscape around it. For information on developing land around waterways, please refer to Community Development & Ecosystem Protection and review the links below.
Laws and Guidelines Related to Working Around Waterways
- Standards and Best Management Practices for Instream Works keep deleterious substances from entering the waterway flow
- Other work may require authorization from Fisheries and Oceans Canada
- Read about Water Stewardship from the Ministry of Environment and the Stewardship Series for more information
