News

November 28, 2022

Nature For All breaks ground on accessible Baxter bridge

KARS-ON-THE-RIDEAU, Nov. 28, 2022 – The dream of turning Baxter Conservation Area into an accessible nature haven for people of all abilities is finally coming true. After three years of planning and fundraising, work has begun to replace the park’s defunct marshland bridge with a new state-of-the-art span that embraces the gold standards of accessible design. This includes an extra-wide deck, appropriate sight-lines for people in wheelchairs and strollers, and a large education platform to help students of all abilities get up close and personal with the natural world. “The outdoors should be accessible to anyone who wants to enjoy…

Published in Media Release

November 17, 2022

Eastern Ontario Mayors Support CA Concerns About Housing Bill 23

RIDEAU VALLEY, Nov. 17, 2022 – More than 30 Eastern Ontario mayors have endorsed a Conservation Authority letter to the province expressing concerns with provincial Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act. The letter, written by 10 Eastern Ontario CAs, was sent to Premier Doug Ford and relevant cabinet ministers earlier today. “We are overwhelmed and incredibly grateful for the support we have received from local municipalities,” said Sommer Casgrain-Robertson, General Manager of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. “It was disheartening that this bill only had a 30-day consultation period given the magnitude of the proposed changes and that this short…

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November 10, 2022

Bill 23: Less Protection, More Cost, Diminished Local Decision-Making

RVCA Responds to Province’s More Homes Built Faster Act RIDEAU VALLEY, Nov. 10, 2022 – Taxpayers, municipalities and our natural systems will bear the costs of the Province’s affordable housing legislation released last month. While the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority strongly supports efforts to address the ongoing housing crisis, many of the proposed changes related to conservation authorities will have significant impacts and costs while doing little to increase housing supply. “Improvements to the system must never be at the expense of protecting people and their properties from flooding, erosion and slope failures, or protecting the very features that reduce these…

Published in Media Release

October 17, 2022

New StoryMap takes deep dive into region's vulnerable drinking water

EASTERN ONTARIO, Oct. 17, 2022 – The Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region (MRSPR) has released an interactive StoryMap exploring threats to our region’s highly vulnerable aquifers – and what we can do about them. Readers of all backgrounds and interest levels can use the new StoryMap to explore risks to groundwater through its digital maps, charts and photos. “Whether you’re interested in the geology behind our groundwater system, the impacts of contamination on your family or what you can do about it, our new StoryMap offers a choose-your-own-adventure to explore a huge range of information,” said Rideau Valley Conservation Authority groundwater scientist Claire Milloy, who…

Published in Media Release

October 05, 2022

Local Conservation Authorities expand septic approval services

MISSISSIPPI and RIDEAU VALLEY WATERSHEDS, October 5, 2022 – Landowners in several Eastern Ontario municipalities will now receive septic approval services from their local conservation authority. As of October 1, 2022, the Mississippi Valley and Rideau Valley Conservation Authorities have begun providing septic inspections, reviews and permits on behalf of the following municipalities: Township of Beckwith Town of Carleton Place Township of Lanark Highlands Town of Mississippi Mills Township of North Grenville Town of Smiths Falls Town of Westport These municipalities were formerly serviced by the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. The Mississippi Valley and Rideau Valley Conservation Authorities have been providing septic…

Published in Media Release

September 27, 2022

Part of Chapman Mills trail to close for bridge replacement

BARRHAVEN, Sept. 27, 2022 – A section of trail at Chapman Mills Conservation Area will close on Monday, Oct. 3 so crews can install a new, state-of-the-art accessible pedestrian bridge this fall. The current wooden bridge near the northern trailhead of Barrhaven’s most beloved boardwalk has reached the end of its life cycle. Thanks to local donors, several significant grants and support from the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF), the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority has secured the funding to do the work. The trail will be closed on either side of the bridge for about six weeks. Visitors can still…

Published in Media Release