Drainage issues were front and centre in Wednesday night’s virtual meeting of Innisfil Council.
Councillors received an update on the South Innisfil Creek Drain, information on the Alcona Flood Relief project, and heard comments on the importance of the Drainage Act.
The contract for construction of the South Innisfil Creek Drain improvement project was awarded to low bidder, R&D Excavating, in November. The company’s bid of $2.431 million came in under the engineer’s estimate of $2.61 million, with work on the main drain set to begin in 2021.
Coun. Kevin Eisses noted that under the Ontario Drainage Act, all costs for drain improvements and construction are assessed to the “benefiting landowners” – by definition, all landowners within the drain’s watershed.
“These costs are provincially mandated,” Eisses noted, asking if the fact that the bid was $175,000 under budget would reduce the costs to individual landowners. There are over 800 properties within the drain’s boundaries.
Drainage Superintendent Jeremy Nyenhuis confirmed that the assessments would be adjusted, once the project was completed and all costs totalled if the work came in under budget.
There was also praise for the Ministry of Transportation, which has agreed to co-operate and undertake improvements to the culverts that pass underneath Highway 400, which have in the past blocked flow in the Innisfil Creek Drain.
“That 400 crossing is just paramount,” said Coun. Rob Nicol, praising the engineers, town staff and the MTO.
“Great to see. It’s been so long,” he said, a reference to the fact that it was serious flooding back in 2000 that initiated the protracted and at times controversial drainage project. “Just looking forward to Planning closing this chapter.”
Councillors also received a report on an application for National Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP) grant funding for another drainage project, the Belle Aire Creek Diversion and Wetland Creation plan – a partnership between the town, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, and Greenland Consulting and Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation.
The Belle Aire Creek Diversion, also known as the Alcona Flood Relief program, is designed to address chronic flooding in the Belle Ewart area between the 5th and 6th Lines of Innisfil east of 20 Sideroad, where flood damage has been estimated at $2 million annually.
Phase 1 of the project was a Conservation Authority Class Environmental Assessment, undertaken under the auspices of the LSRCA which received a significant NDMP grant for the work. The EA identified two preferred solutions: upgrades to the Belle Aire Creek channel, but also a diversion of flows above the 2-year storm level to the existing Little Cedar Creek Wetland, via a new bypass and biofiltration channel.
The capacity of the wetland would also be enhanced through the construction of 1.2 metre earthen berms, and a new emergency overflow channel to Lake Simcoe.
The Town of Innisfil is taking the lead on Phases 2 and 3 – both detailed design, and construction. Staff applied for an NDMP grant for up to 50 percent of the estimated $616,500 cost of Phase 2, the design.
The application is limited to Phase 2 only since projects must be completed by 2022. Phase 3 is not expected to begin until mid-2022 at the earliest.
Ward Councillor Bill Van Berkel said that he is “happy with this project, that it’s moving ahead,” but wanted more details on the $2.2 million in the budget for the project, and assurances that the land needed will be available for retention ponds and channels.
“This has been on the table for many years,” agreed Director of Growth Tim Cain. Cain noted that the $2.2 million in the capital budget is compensation paid by the Sleeping Lion development, earmarked for flood mitigation, and that negotiations with landowners are continuing.
“Rest assured we are having those ongoing discussions,” he said.
In response to a comment from Deputy Mayor Dan Davidson, urging the town to engage the Sleeping Lion developer in the project “to mitigate any future problems” that might occur as The Mobility Orbit is developed on Line 6, Cain said that design discussions have included the developer.
“We are all on the same page with that,” Cain added, noting that the Orbit project will need to design its own drainage solutions to ensure no downstream impact or flooding.
Asked what happens if the developer declines to provide the land needed for the diversion project, Cain replied, “We don’t expect that to happen” – and if it does, “there is an expropriation process.”
Coun. Kevin Eisses noted that Hewitt Creek is another municipal drain that has seen recent improvements. He told council that landowners within the Hewitt Creek Drain watershed recently received notices of assessment to cover the costs and that he had received a number of inquiries regarding the charges.
Eisses pointed out that everyone within a drain’s catchment area is required to pay a portion of costs, under the Drainage Act, which he called “a very important act for rural residents, for farmers and landowners."
Council received both reports, for information only.
