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Established under the Conservation Authorities Act, the Conservation Authorities (CAs) were developed by the province in partnership with 2 or more municipalities to form Conservation Authorities in urban centres throughout the province as a means to improve flood control as well as other natural phenomena such as drought, and erosion.
The objects of an authority as stated in the Conservation Authorities Act are: to establish and undertake, in the area over which it has jurisdiction, a program designed to further the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources other than gas, oil, coal and minerals. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.27, s. 20.
The SSMRCA works towards those objectives through a combination of structural and non-structural flood prevention measures such as:
· The construction of dams and reservoirs to control flood waters and supplement low flow,
· Channel improvements in order to improve stream flow, and to control flooding and erosion of stream banks, especially through urban areas,
· Encouraging wise land use by co-operation with and assisting local planning boards.
As well as the flood protection provided by the physical structures, Conservation Authorities have been given the responsibility to regulate development in flood prone areas. The Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority administers and enforces Ontario Regulation 176/06, the "Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses" to further reduce the risk of loss of life and chance of property damage by flooding. To this end the Conservation Authority regulates development in specific areas in order to help stop erosion, pollution, and to minimize flooding.
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