许可证和规划涉及到保护哈尔顿作为监管机构、服务提供者、公共评论机构、资源管理机构、土地所有者和省授权的自然灾害审查者的角色和责任。该部门由一个多学科的团队组成，包括环境规划师、规划生态学家、水资源工程师、水文地质学家和法规官员。
The Planning and Regulations team at Conservation Halton carries out permitting, compliance and enforcement across the watershed as required by regulations enacted under the Conservation Authorities Act. The team also reviews a range of planning and development applications, as well as technical studies, under the Planning Act, Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act, Environmental Assessment Act and Aggregate Resources Act, and provides input on federal, provincial, regional and municipal policies and initiatives. The team is also responsible for developing policies and technical guides for permitting and plan review, which are approved by the Conservation Halton Board of Directors, as well as responding to changes to the Conservation Authorities Act.
许可证和规划包括洪泛区测绘计划，该计划负责更新整个流域的洪水灾害测绘，以支持规划和监管计划以及洪水预警和预报业务。这种测绘也为基础设施的设计和管理、防洪减灾工作以及应急计划和响应提供信息。
PLEASE NOTE: On 2月 16, 2024, the Province introduced a new regulation under the Conservation Authorities Act. Ontario Regulation 41/24: Prohibited Activities, Exemptions and Permits that came into effect on 四月 1, 2024. Among its changes, O. Reg., 41/24 alters the boundaries of CH’s regulated area; it increases the regulatory allowance in certain valley systems and decreases the regulated area around wetlands. For more information, please visit www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/240041 and www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90c27. A high-level summary of the key legislative and regulatory changes can be found here.
Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act enables conservation authorities to develop regulations for certain activities in areas where public health and safety would be at risk because of naturally occurring processes (e.g., flooding, erosion) or where activities could either create a natural hazard or aggravate a natural hazard that already exists.
Permission is required from conservation authorities to undertake works in or adjacent to watercourses (including valley lands), wetlands, shorelines of inland lakes and hazardous lands as specified in S. 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act and attendant regulations.
In general, permits (permissions) may be granted where, in the opinion of the conservation authority, the activity is not likely to affect the control of flooding, erosion, dynamic beaches, or unstable soil and bedrock, and the activity is not likely to create conditions or circumstances that, in the event of a natural hazard, might jeopardize the health or safety of persons or result in the damage or destruction of property.
This required amendments to CH’s Policy Document entitled “Conservation Halton (The Halton Region Conservation Authority) Policies and Guidelines for the Administration of Part VI of the Conservation Authorities Act and Ontario Regulation 162/06 41/24 and Land Use Planning Policy Document 四月 27, 2006 (last amended, 6月 21, 2024 11月 26, 2020)” to reflect this new framework
Where discrepancies exist between the text of the legislation or regulation and the information provided within Conservation Halton’s existing Policy Document and Interim Policies and Procedures, the text of the legislation and regulation will prevail.
These policies complement the Ontario Provincial Policy Statement, Section 3.0 – Protecting Public Health and Safety and were developed with input from watershed municipalities and other stakeholders before they were approved.
If it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of Conservation Halton that the proposed work meets the approved policies and will not likely affect the control of flooding, erosion, dynamic beaches or unstable soil and bedrock, or create conditions or circumstances that, in the event of a natural hazard, might jeopardize the health or safety of persons or result in the damage or destruction of property, Conservation Halton may grant permission for the proposed work.
Through the introduction of Ontario Regulation 686/21: Mandatory Programs and Services, under the Conservation Authorities Act, conservation authorities have been delegated the responsibility on behalf of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) to review applications or other matters related to the Planning Act to ensure that they are consistent with the natural hazards policies in the policy statements issued under Section 3 of the Ontario Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 – Section 3.0, Protecting Public Health and Safety, but not including those policies related to hazardous forest types for wildland fire. The delegation of responsibility does not extend to other sections of the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) unless specifically delegated or assigned in writing by the Province.
根据安大略省第686/21号条例，保护机构还被授权在保护机构认为可取的情况下，对以下立法中的提案所产生的与自然危害有关的风险进行评论。
- The Aggregate Resources Act
- The Drainage Act
- The Environmental Assessment Act
- The Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act
Conservation Halton, in accordance with Sections 20 and 21 of the Conservation Authorities Act, is a local watershed-based natural resource management agency that is responsible for developing watershed-based resource management strategies that reflect local resource management needs within its jurisdiction. The programs and services included within the strategy can be mandatory, municipal or other, as defined in Section 21 and specified in Ontario Regulation 686/21. When providing advisory comments as a Resource Management Agency, Conservation Halton is guided by its watershed-based resource management strategy and policies approved by the Conservation Halton Board.
Conservation authorities are public bodies under Section 1 of the Planning Act and must be notified of municipal policy documents and applications under regulations made under the Planning Act.
With respect to natural hazards, whether acting on behalf of the MNRF or as a public body, conservation authorities have the responsibility to review applications and other matters under the Planning Act and provide comments, technical support, or information to the responsible planning authority or, where requested, directly to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as outlined in Section 7 of Ontario Regulation 686/21.
保护机构也可能被确定为其他法案和省级计划的评论机构。
保护机构是土地所有者，因此，可以作为提议者或以第三方身份作为相邻土地所有者参与规划和开发过程。