Regulated Area Mapping

Access the Long Point Region Conservation Authority Regulated Area Mapping Tool  for an interactive view of regulated areas throughout the Long Point Region watershed.

About the Regulation Mapping Update

The Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA) is responsible for regulating development in natural hazard areas in order to protect people, property and the environment from damage due to flooding and erosion. Regulation is also necessary for the protection of natural features including rivers, streams, flood plains, wetlands, valley lands and the Lake Erie Shoreline.

As of April 1, 2024, a new regulation for all Conservation Authorities came into effect, the Ontario Regulation 41/24: Prohibited Activities, Exemptions and Permits (O. Reg. 41/24). Additionally, the Province of Ontario added a new section to the Conservation Authorities Act; Part VI – Regulation of Areas Under Which Authorities Have Jurisdiction. Under these new regulations, LPRCA must update regulation mapping annually to show areas in the watershed where development is prohibited. It should be noted that mapping updates effecting individual landowners may occur on an irregular basis, separate of the annual update.

Draft regulation mapping can be viewed in LPRCA’s interactive mapping tool that shows where natural hazards and features are present in the watershed. If your property lies in a regulated area, you may require a permit from LPRCA before starting your project.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the regulation mapping, please contact mapping@lprca.on.ca.

Public Open House

LPRCA will hold a public open house on Monday, October 6th, 2025 to assist stakeholders in using the interactive mapping tool, reviewing regulation changes and submitting questions or inquiries regarding the regulation mapping. More information can be found here.

A feedback form can be found here. The form will provide the public with the opportunity to submit questions or inquiries regarding the 2025 regulation mapping update. This form must be completed by November 4th, 2025 in order to be considered for this year’s update. Alternatively, you can reach out the mapping@lprca.on.ca.

Regulation Mapping Update Methodology

Conservation Authorities regulate river and stream valleys, shorelines of lakes and in-land lakes, watercourses, hazardous lands, wetlands, as well as the area surrounding these features. Regulated areas where defined using terrain data, specifically a LiDAR-derived Digital Terrain Model (DTM), as well as the latest orthoimagery, SWOOP 2020. Orthoimagery was used to define all watercourses in the Long Point Watershed. All watercourses visible through orthoimagery were regulated. In areas where orthoimagery cannot be relied on to determine the presence of a watercourse, i.e., in a dense forest, LiDAR-derived DTM was used to confirm the presence of a defined bed and banks and therefore, a watercourse. Wetland data was obtained from Land Information Ontario. Engineered flood lines provided by external consultants were also included in the updated mapping. Slopes greater than 3 metres are considered a hazard and thus were automatically included in the regulation mapping, so long as they were associated with a watercourse valley.

Highlights of Regulation Mapping Update

It should be noted that the mapping of regulated areas by the LPRCA is approximate and the regulation of lands is text-based. Therefore, if an area meets the definition of regulated as per the regulation then it is regulated, regardless of whether or not it is included in the map. Major changes included in this regulation update are listed below;

Decrease in the regulated buffer around wetlands from 120 m to 30 m under the new Ontario Regulation 41/24
Applied the updated definition of a watercourse under the Conservation Authorities Act, with a watercourse now being defined as a “defined channel, having a bed and banks or sides, in which a flow of water regularly or continuously occurs.”
Slope hazard identification
Engineered flood and erosion hazard studies along the Lake Erie Shoreline in Norfolk and Haldimand Counties
- Norfolk
- Haldimand
Engineered flood hazard studies on;
- Big Otter Creek
  - Norwich
  - Tillsonburg
    - Stoney Creek
    - Big Otter Creek
    - From Calton to Port Burwell (including Vienna)
- Clear Creek (Cultus)
- Stoney Creek (Gilbertville)
- Lynn River (Simcoe to Port Dover)
  - Davis Creek
  - Patterson Creek
  - Kent Creek
  - Black Creek
  - Lynn River
- Nanticoke Creek
  - Waterford
  - Villa Nova
- Sandusk Creek
  - Garnett
  - Jarvis
  - Sandusk

Link to Report

FPM Report

Link to Flood Maps

The addition of flood studies completed on individual properties as part of the site plan and permitting process in counties across the watershed.