MVCA on who will pay for dams in North Frontenac

Jeff Green | May 25, 2016

In April, North Frontenac Councilor Gerry Martin, who is the township representative to the board of directors of the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA), brought some potentially troubling news to his council.

The dams that control water flow on Kashwakamak Lake, Shabomeka Lake, Mississagagon Lake and Big Gull Lake are all in need of replacement. While the Province of Ontario will likely cover half the estimated $2 million cost, it is unclear where the rest of the money will come from, and Martin said there is a possibility it will end up being levied to North Frontenac ratepayers.

When contacted this week, Paul Lehman, the general manager of the MVCA, said that the board's policy and priorities committee will be looking at how to fund the dam replacements, and will hopefully report back to the MVCA board in the fall.

“The thing is that we have not undertaken any capital projects such as dams in over 25 years, and back then the province paid 85% of the cost,” said Lehman.

MVCA receives funding from municipalities along the watershed, which runs through townships in Frontenac and Lanark County into the City of Ottawa. Municipalities pay into the MVCA based on levels of property assessment, and the City of Ottawa therefore pays the bulk of MVCA costs.

“Some of our members are concerned that the cost of dam replacement will affect our budget and increase our annual levy to members,” said Lehman, “so we will be looking at alternate models to pay the costs.”

Lehman said that the MVCA can levy for work on projects to individual member municipalities according “to the relative benefit to the local townships.”

However, in the case of dams at the source of the system that control water flows, Lehman said it is hard to determine how to assess relative benefit.

In the end, the board of directors will make a final decision on how to fund the dam repairs and replacements that are required in North Frontenac and elsewhere along the route of Mississippi watershed.

At a meeting of North Frontenac Council last week, Councilor Martin said that he is less worried about the potential for large costs being downloaded to the township than he was back in April.

“They seem to be working something out,” he said.