Enforcement and Compliance

A principal mandate of the Conservation Authority is to protect life and property from natural hazards such as flooding and erosion. The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority’s (NVCA) compliance activities play a pivotal role in achieving this goal by ensuring the requirements of the Conservation Authorities Act and Regulation 41/24 are enforced.

NVCA regulate the following development activities on all properties within regulated areas in the Nottawasaga Watershed:

Activities to straighten, change, divert or interfere in any way with the existing channel of a river, creek, stream, or watercourse or to change or interfere in any way with a wetland
Development activities in areas that are within the authority’s area of jurisdiction and are:
- Hazardous lands
- Wetlands
- River or stream valleys
- Areas close to the shorelines of Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River System (e.g. Georgian Bay) or to inland lakes that that may be affected by flooding, erosion, or dynamic beach hazards
- Other areas in which development should be prohibited or regulated, as determined by the regulation

NVCA’s Compliance Officers

NVCA’s Compliance Officers are designated Provincial Offences Officers who play an important role in enforcing Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act.

Their responsibilities include:

Provide information and education regarding the regulations and development restrictions
Inspect and investigate potential violation sites
Ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of permits issued
Resolve minor infractions through cooperation with landowners
Resolve violations through discussions, removals, restoration and/or the compliance and permit process
Process and attend legal proceedings when necessary to ensure compliance
Follow up to ensure conditions and monitoring programs outlined in permits are met.

If you believe development (site grading, construction or re-construction of a building or structure, placement or removal of fill, change of use of a building or structure) is being carried out in a regulated area without appropriate approvals, please complete the form below to confidentially report your concerns so that our Officers can assess the situation and act accordingly.

Submit Non-Compliance Complaint

Unauthorized Works Fees

Please note, as per NVCA’s Board Approved Fee Policy, works proceeding without permissions in place, a unauthorized works fee in addition to the standard permit review fee will be required. The review fee and unauthorized works fees will be required to be paid prior to any review.

Approvals, agreements or compliance orders may be issued if the development complies with policies and guidelines. In instances where development cannot be supported, approvals are still required for the removals and restoration to the area (where applicable).