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Vittoria Dam Class Environmental Assessment

Project Location

Vittoria Dam is located on Mill Pond Road, Charlotteville, 0.65 km S of Vittoria Road (Lat. 42° 45′ 55″ N, Long. 80° 18′ 12″ W).

Project Description

Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA), through their consultant Matrix Solutions Inc., is undertaking a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Vittoria Dam. A Dam Safety Review (DSR) of the structure, commissioned by LPRCA and completed in 2015, identified that Vittoria Dam currently has a “High Hazard Potential” Classification, and does not meet current provincial safety standards. This Class EA study has been initiated to assess the existing site conditions and constraints, and to develop potential alternatives to address the identified issues at the dam which may include rehabilitation, replacement, or removal. More information will be posted to this page as the study progresses.

Public Consultation

Interested Persons

For the purposes of a Conservation Ontario Class EA, an “interested person” (or project stakeholder) is simply an individual or organization with an interest in a particular undertaking. Interested persons are not required to demonstrate that they will personally be affected by a particular undertaking. In essence, anyone is welcome to become an “interested person” and participate in the EA process.

Interested persons may participate by:

  • reviewing copies of reports and documents produced by the Conservation Authority in compliance with the Class EA planning requirements;
  • providing oral and/or written comment to Conservation Authority staff;
  • attending information sessions to obtain a better understanding of the proposal for a remedial work and to have questions answered;
  • meeting with Conservation Authority staff to discuss concerns;
  • having their names added to the project mailing list to be directly notified of future updates to the undertaking and, in so doing, become a member of the Conservation Authority contact group for the project; and
  • requesting to be a member of the Community Liaison Committee.

Responsibilities of Interested Persons

When a project is being planned and developed under a Class EA, interested persons are responsible for:

  • Identifying environmental issues related to the Class EA Project to the proponent as soon as possible in the planning process;
  • Participating in discussions with the proponent to address concerns. If during the evaluation of a Class EA Project, interested persons have not participated and later request a Part II Order, the lack of participation in the process will be considered by the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) or delegate when making a decision on whether or not to grant the request;
  • Focusing on matters relating to the Class EA process and the proposed project, for example, potential effects of the project, appropriate notification, the nature of the public consultation process, mitigation measures, and design features; and
  • Suggesting modifications to the specific project or EA documentation that may address concerns, for example, changing the orientation of the project on the site, screening to minimize visual impact, or changing the location of site access.

Conservation Authority Contact Group

In addition to this public-facing website, a dedicated mailing list of known or anticipated interested persons has been created and serves as a means of disseminating project-related information. While all of the same project information is, or will be, made available on this website, any interested persons are also welcome to sign up for the mailing list as a means of ensuring connection to the project. Please reach out to either of the contacts identified here if you wish to be added to the list.

Contact Information

Questions and comments about the Vittoria Dam Class Environmental Assessment can be directed to:

David Proracki, Water Resources Analyst
Long Point Region Conservation Authority
dproracki@lprca.on.ca
Tel: 519-842-4242 ext. 264

Scott Robertson, P.Eng., Senior Water Resources Engineer
Matrix Solutions Inc.
650 Woodlawn Road West, Unit 7B
Guelph, Ontario, N1K 1B8
Tel: 226-314-1962
Fax: 226-314-1908
srobertson@matrix-solutions.com

Public Information Centre

The Public Information Centre (PIC) regarding the Vittoria Dam Class EA will be held on Thursday December 14, 2023 from 6 PM to 8:30 PM at the Simcoe Recreation Centre in the Norfolk Meeting Room located at 182 South Drive, Simcoe, ON. After the PIC is completed, all related and resultant materials such as notices, sign-in sheets, minutes, display materials, and comments received will be posted.

Community Liaison Committee

As another means of public engagement, the project also includes the formation of a dedicated Community Liaison Committee (CLC), whose members include local residents, aboriginal communities, culture and heritage organizations within the community, environmental groups, and fishing and hunting organizations.

The CLC will meet at least twice as the project progresses and be integrally involved in developing the project understanding, planning, considerations, and recommendations as a larger group with Matrix and the LPRCA.

Project Documents