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 will come 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.
Conservation Halton is in the process of updating its Approximate Regulation Limit mapping for 四月 1. We are also working on transition procedures for any permit applications or appeals submitted or underway prior to O. Reg., 41/24 taking effect. We will keep our partners, stakeholders, and the public informed as we work to minimize disruptions to the development approval process and to update our implementation support materials.
保护当局法》第28条使保护当局能够为某些活动制定法规，这些活动的区域由于自然发生的过程（如洪水、侵蚀）而会危及公共健康和安全，或者这些活动可能造成自然危害或加剧已经存在的自然危害。
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.
The administration of the regulation is guided by policies approved by the Conservation Halton Board. As of 四月 1, 2024, Conservation Halton must review and make decisions on applications for permits in accordance with Part VI of the Conservation Authorities Act and Ontario Regulation 41/24. This requires amendments to CH’s Policy Document entitled “Conservation Halton Policies and Guidelines for the Administration of Ontario Regulation 162/06 and Land Use Planning Policy Document 四月 27, 2006 (last amended, 11月 26, 2020)” to reflect this new framework. Staff is currently reviewing CH’s existing Policy Document and anticipates bringing updated policies (conformity updates only) to the Conservation Halton Board for approval at the end of Q2 2024.
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.
通过引入《安大略省条例686/21：强制性计划和服务》，根据《保护当局法》，保护当局被授权代表北方发展、矿业、自然资源和林业部（MNDMNRF）审查与《规划法》有关的申请或其他事项，以确保它们符合根据《安大略省政策声明》第3节发布的政策声明中的自然危害政策，2020-第3。0，保护公众健康和安全，但不包括那些与野地火灾的危险森林类型有关的政策。除非该省特别授权或书面指定，否则授权责任不延伸到省政策声明的其他章节。
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。
- 集合资源法
- 排水法
- 环境评估法
- 尼亚加拉悬崖规划和发展法
根据《保护当局法》第20和21条，保护哈尔顿是一个基于流域的地方自然资源管理机构，负责制定基于流域的资源管理战略，反映其管辖范围内的地方资源管理需求。根据第21条的规定和安大略省第686/21号条例的规定，战略中包含的计划和服务可以是强制性的、市政性的或其他的。当作为资源管理机构提供咨询意见时，保护哈尔顿是以其基于流域的资源管理战略和保护哈尔顿董事会批准的政策为指导。
根据《规划法》第1条，保护机构是公共机构，必须根据《规划法》制定的条例，将市政政策文件和申请通知到保护机构。
关于自然灾害，无论是代表MNDMNRF还是作为公共机构，保护机构都有责任根据《规划法》审查申请和其他事项，并向负责的规划机构提供意见、技术支持或信息，或者根据要求直接向市政事务和住房部提供，如安大略省条例686/21第7条所述。
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。