RIDEAU AND MISSISSIPPI WATERSHEDS, JULY 28, 2025 – If you’re a farmer or rural landowner in the Rideau or Mississippi Valley, it pays to be a good steward of the water sources on your property.
The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) manages several generous grant programs offering up to $15,000 for projects that reduce the volume of runoff and pollution reaching local rivers, streams and creeks.
For farmers, this includes a long list of eligible projects such as livestock exclusion fencing, manure storage and treatment, nutrient management, chemical and fuel storage, controlled tile drainage, cover cropping, wetland construction, wastewater treatment and more.
For rural property owners, projects like well and septic upgrades or decommissioning, buffer planting, erosion control and forest or wetland management are all eligible.
In 2024, RVCA allocated $780,354 in grants to 247 projects – an average of $3,159 per project. Annual payments for the creation of ecosystem services may also be available.
“Many landowners are already considering implementing these best practices, and by offsetting their costs we can help them make the leap,” said RVCA’s Rural Clean Water program manager Derek Matheson. “We’re enabling landowners to go a few steps further to protect our water sources from pollution.”
Who is eligible:
- City of Ottawa farmers and rural property owners
- Farmers outside the City of Ottawa but within the Rideau or Mississippi watersheds
- Rural property owners outside the City of Ottawa but within the Rideau watershed
All three Ottawa conservation authorities are still accepting applications for projects in 2025 until this year’s funding is fully allocated.
How it works:
- Apply for your grant before starting work on your project. Farmers may need a completed Environment Farm Plan to apply;
- If desired, knowledgeable staff can offer technical assistance, including design and site plan advice, to help execute your vision. This may include a property visit;
- Grants for eligible projects will be awarded once the work has been completed. You may be eligible for more than one grant within a single project (for example, wetland creation and livestock exclusion fencing, windbreaks and erosion control, etc).
To learn more and apply, visit www.rvca.ca/clean-water. To contact RVCA’s Clean Water team email
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