Landowners in much of the Grand River watershed can now combine grants from two programs to reduce their own cost of projects that protect water quality on the farm.

They can now combine grants from the Rural Water Quality Program, which is administered by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), with cost-share opportunities through the Canada-Ontario Environmental Farm Plan. In some cases, landowners may be eligible to receive up to 80 per cent of the cost associated with implementing selected beneficial management practices.

The Rural Water Quality Program is a partnership between local municipalities, the GRCA and farmers. Financial sponsorship for the program is provided by the Region of Waterloo, Wellington County, Brant County, Guelph and Brantford.

The GRCA administers the program and employs several staff members to provide on-farm technical assistance. However, it is the farmers who “are getting things done,” says Tracey Ryan, Supervisor of Conservation Services at the GRCA.

The results of this partnership have been tremendous. Since the inception of the program in Waterloo Region in 1998, the program has spread across the watershed, with more than 1,450 completed projects. To date, more than $13.3 million has been spent on projects, with landowners contributing $8.2 million and RWQP grants totaling $5 million.

“We wanted to install proper fuel storage since 1990,” says Barry McBlain, a Brant County farmer who replaced his single-walled fuel tanks with vacuum-sealed, double walled tanks. “The grant money helped get the job done without cutting corners.”

McBlain is one of many people making positive changes to the rural landscape. Across the watershed more than 92 kilometers of fence has been installed to restrict livestock access to streams. Tree planting on 720acres of fragile agricultural land has placed more greenery onto the countryside, and more than 85 manure storages have been improved to contain run-off. Other projects undertaken by landowners include wellhead protection, well decommissioning, clean water diversions, improvement of fuel/chemical/fertilizer storages, deadstock composting facilities and the development of nutrient management plans.

Grant availability for projects varies across the watershed depending on funding resources. Applicants may be eligible for cost-shares of 30 to 50 per cent which can be stacked on top of funding opportunities through the Canada Ontario Environmental Farm Plan. In total landowners may be eligible to receive up to 80 per cent of the cost associated with implementing selected beneficial management practices.

The Environmental Farm Plan is a voluntary and confidential process in which that identifies potential risks to agricultural operators. Landowners complete an evaluation of their operation and develop actions to address areas of concern. Financial assistance programs offset some of the costs involved in making positive changes.

Rural non-farm residents with property adjacent to a watercourse may also be eligible for funding opportunities such as the Government of Canada Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk.

Landowners are encouraged to contact GRCA staff at (519) 621-2761.