Water Taking and Transfer (O. Reg. 387/04).

The purpose of this Regulation is to provide for the conservation, protection and wise use and management of Ontario’s waters, because Ontario’s water resources are essential to the long-term environmental, social and economic well-being of Ontario. The Regulation contains at the outset a definition clause relating to various terms employed therein, such as application, “Average Annual Flow Map”, “drinking-water systems”, “Great Lakes Charter”, “Summer Low Flow Map”. According to section 4, the Director shall consider the following matters, when granting a water taking permit: 1) Issues relating to the protection of the natural functions of the ecosystem, including: i) the impact or potential impact of the water taking or proposed water taking on :A) the natural variability of water flow or water levels, B) minimum stream flow, and C) habitat that depends on water flow or water levels, and ii) ground water and surface water and their interrelationships, including its impact on water quantity and quality; 2) Issues relating to water availability.