STRONGER TOGETHER:
TRCA 2022 Annual Report

John MacKenzie
Chief Executive Officer

Paul Ainslie
Chair, TRCA Board of Directors

Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Program (SNAP)
SNAP worked with 156 implementation partners to achieve neighbourhood-based solutions for urban renewal and climate action across 5 active SNAPs. These include municipalities, local businesses and agencies, community organizations and universities. 73 collaborative events engaged 2,286 residents and stakeholders.

With federal and municipal government support, SNAP launched the Growing Healthy Towers initiative to collectively support healthy built environments in 2 low-income tower communities with over 20 organizations across 2 regions and 12 sectors.

Implementation initiatives were delivered to achieve 1,128 retrofit actions, 57 green infrastructure projects supporting the planting of 2,148 trees, shrubs, and native plants on public and private land. These include expanded urban forests, rain gardens, pollinator and vegetable gardens, eco landscaping, and stormwater pond and park naturalization.

Stormwater Pond Training
4 inspection and maintenance field training events and 2 virtual events were delivered by the Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program (STEP) in 2022, with more than 300 municipal staff participating. Host cities included Barrie, Richmond Hill, Aurora, and London, marking the first time this workshop has been offered outside of the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

Partners in Project Green (PPG)
71 members, along with community participants, came together through TRCA and Toronto Pearson’s Partners in Project Green to advance environmental action and economic prosperity across the Greater Toronto Area. Together, participants gained 1,627 learner hours through 38 events.

The Circular Economy Leaders Consortium was launched with 12 member organizations. Members diverted 52 t of waste, avoided 3.9 t of eC0₂ and saved over $1.8M through the Materials Exchange Program and the Recycling Collection Drive. They saved 8.2 eGWh, 210M Litres of water, 502 t of eC0₂ and $1.5M through the Energy Leaders Consortium. That’s enough energy to power 6M homes and enough eC0₂ to offset emissions from 675 round trip flights from Toronto to Vancouver!

Policy Recommendations
TRCA staff provided detailed responses to 32 Environmental Registry of Ontario postings and 51 municipal documents to advocate for sustainable development and the protection of the environment.

TRCA continued its role as a valued member of the Province’s multi-stakeholder, solutions-oriented Conservation Authorities Working Group (CAWG). The CAWG brought together representatives from municipalities, the development industry, agricultural sector, Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Conservation Ontario and conservation authorities (CAs) to help inform the development of the Phase 2 regulations and policy guidance in support of the amended Conservation Authorities Act.

New Tech Evaluation
16 technologies were evaluated including a review and assessment of snow and ice control practices for parking lots and walkways as well as testing a monobloc air source heat pump. This heat pump has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and demand on the electricity grid, improve occupant well-being, and cut utility bills associated with heating and cooling multi-unit residential buildings.

Stormwater Software
Co-developed by TRCA, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and Credit Valley Conservation, the Low Impact Development (LID) Treatment Train Tool is an easy-to-use stormwater modeling software for site planning at the conceptual stage. It evaluates the effectiveness of various LID measures on stormwater quantity and quality control and has been updated to provide cost estimates for LIDs and evaluate the stormwater benefits of trees. To date it has been downloaded 3,749 times and has been integrated into academic courses on sustainable development.

Low Impact Development (LID) Guidance
The LID Stormwater Management Planning and Design Wiki was expanded and enhanced with funding support from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. The LID Wiki is becoming a one-stop shop for LID guidance in Ontario, with 75 new pages developed including new hubs on construction, inspection and maintenance best practices for these innovative stormwater practices.

Erosion Risk Management Program
Erosion Risk Management staff inspected 4,611 hazard sites and erosion control structures. 282 of these inspections were erosion hazard sites on privately-owned land. 1,846 m of valley and shoreline have been stabilized at 11 high priority sites.

Reducing Flood Risk
Conducted vegetation and sediment removal operations on approximately 4 km of flood control channels. This maintenance makes it easier for water to flow and reduces the risk of flooding in the Stouffville and Black Creek Channels.

Invasive Species
3,907 invasive Sea Lamprey were caught and removed from 2 traps in the Humber River and Duffin’s Creek in partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. A total of 3,778 were caught at the Humber River trap and just 129 at the Duffin’s Creek trap.

Waterfront Restoration
A new interactive website showcases the 18-year long efforts of the Toronto Waterfront Aquatic Habitat Restoration Strategy. Highly visual maps, photos, and graphics animate the story of the techniques used and results achieved for Toronto’s improved shoreline – an interesting and accessible way to learn about the findings from the 2020 assessment report.

Mapping TRCA’s Water Resource System
Provincial policies require municipalities to identify and provide adequate protection to the Water Resource System (WRS) in their Official Plans. TRCA generated a comprehensive WRS map comprised of 8 spatial data layers that identifies key hydrological features and areas important for the long-term resilience of our water resources and ecosystem health. The WRS mapping was approved by TRCA’s Board of Directors in October and has been shared with partner municipalities to inform multiple initiatives, including Municipal Comprehensive Review and Official Plan Review processes.

Timely Data
The Deltares Flood Early Warning System (FEWS), launching in 2023, is a next generation integrated decision support system for daily use to support the delivery of timely flood warning messages. The foundation to enable this launch included integrating weather forecasts, radar products and stream and precipitation monitoring systems that support flood forecasting and warning operations.

Automated River Data
Initiated the Toronto Wet Weather Flow Tributary Monitoring Project. Through the program, staff installed 21 automated water quality sampling stations in rivers and creeks across the City of Toronto to measure improvements to the City’s stormwater management systems. The network of water quality samplers will be in place until 2026.

Bolton Dike Camera
Installed a flood monitoring camera at Bolton Dike to help forecast ice jams and flooding in the Bolton community. TRCA now has 7 cameras installed in flood vulnerable locations to inform flood forecasting and warning efforts.

Broadview Eastern Flood Protection Project
Following completion of the Broadview Eastern Flood Protection Environmental Assessment in 2021, TRCA continued to provide technical support to the City and Province on the detailed design phase, a precursor to the development of 8 ha of downtown Toronto.

Humber River Watershed Plan Prep
This past spring, the Ecosystem Science team completed valley and stream crossing surveys at culverts and bridges throughout the Humber River watershed. TRCA collected data on the physical size and state of the different structures, including fish and wildlife passage suitability, stream temperature, flow conditions, and headwater stream locations. This baseline data informs the next iteration of the Humber River watershed plan.

Brampton Riverwalk
Project planning and procurement process support is ongoing for the City of Brampton as they undertake the detailed design for this important project which will support safe redevelopment.

More Nature, More Connection
The Meadoway is TRCA’s flagship and award-winning restoration project. Accomplishments for 2022 include the completion of: 21 ha of site prep for new meadow habitat, 17 ha of native meadow seeding, 104 ha of maintenance and adaptive management, 37 ha of existing meadow maintenance mowing, 30 ha of buffer mowing around the existing meadow, 9.3 ha of infill seeding, 67 monitoring plots and 13 bird and butterfly transects.

Completion of a new bridge (see photo above) and boardwalk advanced work on an important gap this year – a project milestone. The Highland Creek portion of The Meadoway now connects Military Trail at Ellesmere Road, across the ravine, east to Neilson Road. It also opens up access in the south to the Highland Creek trail and Pan Am Path while creating a connection to the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail and new beautiful recreation possibilities for the residents and visitors of Scarborough.

Based on the lessons learned through implementation, TRCA released A Blueprint for Naturalizing Infrastructure Corridors – an industry leading science-based “how-to guide” on right of way restoration.

Urban Wilderness
Recognized as a globally significant “Key Biodiversity Area” by the Wildlife Conservation Society of Canada, Tommy Thompson Park (TTP) exemplifies decades of cutting-edge restoration work. Within 16 ha of quality habitat at TTP, new invasive species management is keeping Dog Strangling Vine and Phragmites under control with benefits for local biodiversity and for over 100K annual visitors.

Right Lands, Right Place
To effectively manage its landholdings, TRCA addresses legacy properties within its real estate portfolio and carefully considers new purchases. Two critical frameworks facilitate this work. TRCA’s Greenspace Securement Management Plan analyzed 1M parcels for environmentally sensitive features to transparently inform new purchases. The first ever Real Property Surplus Land Strategy identifies non environmentally significant properties without TRCA obligatory protection. These lands could be reused or help to fund more strategic future acquisitions.

1.67 ha of land was disposed to municipalities, and 18.06 ha was gained via the Greenspace Acquisition Project (2021-2030).

Trail Users
1,065,941 visitors were counted at 22 locations of TRCA trails and City of Toronto trails through TRCA’s Trail Counter Program, an increase of 6% over 2021. 97,062 visitors were counted at 8 benchmark TRCA sites, a 27% decrease over 2021. 70 trail counters were implemented on TRCA managed lands, plus 18 more on behalf of the City of Toronto. With the support of community partners, maintained access to 450 km of TRCA managed trails.

Improving Access to Large Parks
In partnership with the Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition, Re:Public Urbanism, and the Ontario Parks Association, the Greenbelt Foundation released a report, Improving Access to Large Parks in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe: Policy, Planning, and Funding Strategies. TRCA provided valuable input into the analysis and recommendations.

Data Trend: Nature in Decline
The Terrestrial Long-Term Monitoring Plot Program: Spatial Patterns and Temporal Trends in Terrestrial Biodiversity (2011-2020) report summarizes changes in vegetation and bird and frog communities in regional forests, wetlands, and meadows between 2011 and 2020. Capturing data from a total of 143 monitoring sites across the jurisdiction, scientifically-defensible results were obtained. Forest vegetation changed significantly over the past 10 years, reflecting the impact of regional disturbances. Species communities in all habitat types continue to indicate the strong negative effects of urbanization on these ecosystems.

Significant Wildlife Habitat Mapping
Under the Provincial Policy Statement, wildlife habitat is considered an important natural heritage feature. TRCA used defined criteria to develop screening layers for Significant Wildlife Habitat. Through consultation with municipalities, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, three different agricultural groups, the Building Industry and Land Development Association, and the Regional Watershed Alliance a report has been completed and online tools will be developed.

Fish Rescue
Residents living around the Lake Wilcox neighborhood reached out to TRCA’s aquatic monitoring team to help rescue fish stranded in a tributary of the Humber River. The team rescued approximately 1K fish and moved them to deeper waters!

Building Tomorrow’s Communities
TRCA contributes to the Province’s important goal of addressing the housing crisis through expediting development approvals and by working with industry and governmental partners to flood protect and enable redevelopment of mixed-use communities in flood vulnerable areas of the Greater Toronto Area.

Bill 109
To conform to Bill 109 Planning Act timelines, TRCA focused on working with partner municipalities to establish complete application checklists and pre-consultation requirements and establish and update memorandums of understanding.

Trail Strategy
TRCA on behalf of our partner municipalities advanced 20 trail and amenity capital projects through planning, design and construction phases. 3.5 km of trail were constructed, of which 1.13 km were regional-level trail connections and 2.37 km were local-level trail connections. These trails linked communities and supported many more connections of families and tourists to outdoor experiences.

Urban Forest Excellence
In partnership with Peel Region, the City of Mississauga, the City of Brampton, the Town of Caledon, and Credit Valley Conservation, 5 urban forest best practice guides were created to inform climate-resilient and healthy urban forests in Peel Region.

City of Toronto Parks Ecosystem Services
In partnership with the City of Toronto and the University of Waterloo, TRCA has completed a study quantifying and mapping several of the ecosystem services provided by the Toronto parks system. This is one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind using locally derived data. It will be used to help inform and guide resource allocation and management of the Toronto parks system.

Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Developed with Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition, the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Asset Management Resources Toolkit provides guidance, case studies, and lessons learned for 3 different asset types: streams, bioretention features, and permeable pavement.

Right Tool for the Carbon Job
The Natural Assets Carbon Assessment Guide and Toolbox guide the correct use of methods, tools, and resources to standardize carbon sequestration and storage estimations for natural assets within Southern Ontario. This Guide and Toolbox, developed in partnership with Credit Valley Conservation and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, is intended to help stakeholders coordinate climate change mitigation strategies.

Nature-Based Climate Solutions Tool
Nature-based climate solutions (NBCS) offer ecosystem-based approaches to address societal challenges, while improving environmental health and addressing the threat of climate change. NBCS can include the protection or restoration of natural features and areas such as forests, wetlands, and meadows, as well as the implementation of other green infrastructure such as street and backyard trees, green roofs, and rain gardens. A proof of concept development for this type of tool was completed for the Humber River Watershed and the work is presented through an online platform and technical report.

Education Programs
Over 118,500 participants were engaged through virtual and in-person education programs.

Community
333 Community Learning events in Durham, Peel, Toronto and York engaged 85 partners and 31,650 participants.

Unforgettable Camp Fun
7 TRCA locations with summer camps provided employment for 46 youth as day camp counsellors. 8,550 campers spent over 76K hrs exploring nature.

Peel EcoSchools Program
The Peel EcoSchools program supported 202 public schools during the 2021-22 school year. 74% of these schools achieved either Gold or Platinum certification status through EcoSchools Canada.

TRCA support included climate change and certification related grants to 34 Peel EcoSchools, 9 professional development workshops and 5 certification support sessions for 274 educators.

Professional Access into Employment (PAIE)
PAIE provided fully virtual job search and corporate culture training as well as hybrid coaching, employment, and mentoring opportunities. Over 145 hrs of profession-specific training, including field trips, was delivered virtually and in-person, by 25 instructors during the 9 month program. 14 PAIE participants received 17 interviews and 11 mentor connections were made with clients to further their career journeys.

Multicultural Connections
The Multicultural Connections Program (MCP) delivered online and in-person presentations to English as a Second Language (ESL), Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) classes, and newcomer groups across the Greater Toronto Area, reaching 2,367 participants.

MCP staff hosted 1 Learn to Canoe Event at the Lake St George Field Centre, 2 half-day Learn to Fish Events at Heart Lake CA, 1 Discovery Walk at Mississauga Valley Park, and 1 Discovery Walk at Black Creek Pioneer Village which engaged 119 newcomer participants across the Greater Toronto Area.

Newcomer Youth Green Economy Program (NYGEP)
NYGEP delivered 48 virtual and in-person workshops, field trips, events and coaching to 77 clients and 2 cohorts. 5 employers mentored participants through real world projects to gain hands on experience. 100% of participants would recommend the program to a friend and 21% reported a salary increase post program.

The Meadoway
The Weston Family Foundation continued its generous support for The Meadoway project this year with over $2.4M in donations, supporting an excellent field season and inspiring others to donate to the cause as well. Several individual donors supported the project after interacting with Meadoway staff either on-site or virtually. Multiple site visits were held including ones involving Toronto and Region Conservation Foundation, City of Toronto staff, and elected officials to increase awareness of the project.

Garnering worldwide distinction, The Meadoway won an award for Global Model of Ecological Restoration and Protection, presented by the Global Forum on Human Settlements for Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards

Know Better, Do Better
Through the guidance and consultation of Indigenous Elders, groups and organizations, TRCA continued to expand and strengthen its Indigenous partnerships, working together to raise awareness, knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Treaties, culture, customs, traditional knowledge, and ceremonies. TRCA hosted a series of events in the week leading up to and including the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, providing staff with opportunities to participate both in-person and online in a sacred fire, sharing circle, discussion with a residential school survivor, a sunrise ceremony, a water ceremony, and a community drumming circle.

The Education and Training division organized a well received Professional Development Day with Conservation Halton staff and Indigenous consultants at Crawford Lake, focusing on land acknowledgement and including an introduction to Anishnaabe science and education, a medicine walk, long house tour, and settler engagement with Indigenous peoples and organizations.

Humber River, Heritage Advocacy
As part of the administration team for the Humber River’s Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS) designation, staff continued to work with Indigenous and community partners to promote the cultural heritage and recreational values of the Humber River, including advocating for the protection and recognition of the Carrying Place Trail, an ancient transportation route which traversed the Humber watershed and was first used by First Nations and early settlers to the region. Staff also worked closely with the CHRS Secretariat on updates to the CHRS reporting frameworks for annual and decadal reporting which will be implemented in 2023.

Wiigiwaam Builds
Education staff worked alongside Dr. Hopi Martin to build traditional Ojibwe Wiigiwaams at Claireville Conservation Area and Black Creek Pioneer Village to create space for traditional ceremonies and to connect people with the land. A Wiigiwaam is a Ceremonial shelter, home or teaching lodge that is built with Traditional Ojibwe Teachings. The building process of these structures includes traditional knowledge, ceremony, protocol and teachings.

National Indigenous History Month
Black Creek Pioneer Village hosted Walking Together in June 2022, an educational event for students, recognizing National Indigenous History Month. With participation from the Moccasin Identifier Project, Edge of the Bush, and Jumblies Theatre with Mohawk artist Ange Loft, students were encouraged to learn, reflect, and “walk together” into the future. Funded in part by the Government of Canada, the event provided free participation for 500 students in grades 3–6.

Indigenous “Hope & Healing” Art Installation
Métis sculptor Tracey-Mae Chambers created a temporary large-scale art project inside the home of a settler family located at Black Creek Pioneer Village, where it was viewed by over 10K people over a two-month period. Making a powerful statement on the impact of colonization, Chambers asked visitors to consider how our society can remain hopeful in the face of global unrest.

Spotting Salmon
There are many places in the Toronto Region where you can observe Chinook, Coho, Atlantic Salmon, and Brown Trout migrating up streams and rivers to spawn between September and November. For the last two years, the aquatic monitoring team has engaged the public in reporting their migrating salmon observations. As public salmon observations are received and verified, they appear on our interactive StoryMap and enrich TRCA’s long-term fisheries monitoring records. Approximately 100 public observations were received. Thank you to everyone who contributed!

Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Webinar Series and Story Map
Through its Great Lakes Protection Initiative, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) partnered with TRCA to complete a novel climate change vulnerability assessment of coastal wetlands between 2017 and 2022. A total of 20 coastal wetland sites were assessed across the Canadian shores of the Great Lakes, covering a range of wetland types and conditions. The results of this assessment were shared in a five-part webinar series that featured 26 speakers, and was attended by more than 400 people in Canada and the U.S. An interactive StoryMap was created to communicate the results of ECCC’s climate change vulnerability assessment and provide resource managers with solutions to enhance the resilience of Great Lakes coastal wetlands.

Sourcing Solutions
Over $7.3M in partnership funding and grants was received to advance park and trail access and state of good repair projects. The Government of Canada provided over $5.5M for 10 projects through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund, representing the single largest investment in TRCA parks and lands infrastructure in decades.

Successful Private Partnerships
Fun draws a crowd and new revenue to Black Creek Pioneer Village. Ell’Events lit the February night skies with walking and driving trails. For a successful 3rd year, Canadian Tire Corporation offered Christmas Trail, a re-imagined North Pole with hundreds of twinkling lights. Together these privately run events brought over 30K guests to the Village.

Marketplace Match, Operational Growth
Albion Hills Field Centre hosted a 3-week immersive experiential learning arrangement. 15 high-schoolers enjoyed land-based teaching to earn credit courses through daily workshops from Indigenous Elders at the Gathering of Nations Summer Camp organized and run by the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s Indigenous Education Department. The Albion Hills food service team and an Indigenous chef enhanced the experience through a curated menu celebrating cultural traditions.

Hollywood in Nature
288 days of film production occurred across the jurisdiction, with long term film shoots hosted at Black Creek Pioneer Village and Claireville Conservation Park. 54 individual filming agreements were executed resulting in $843K in revenue.

Inclusive Recognition
The new Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area, being achieved in partnership by TRCA, Credit Valley Conservation, Peel Region and the City of Mississauga, was honoured with a “Reach Out” Brownie Award celebrating excellence in communications, marketing and public engagement. The award acknowledged the close partnership with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation which has ensured the new area reflects Indigenous traditional knowledge in environmental restoration and creates a sense of place at the City of Mississauga’s newest section of the waterfront. Our commitment to engagement was also demonstrated through local community outreach. TRCA hosted Public Information Centres, managed a direct email channel and provided regular project updates to convey information, capture feedback, respond to questions and encourage involvement.

Collaborating in Canada’s Trail Capital
Enhanced trails and amenities were made possible in Uxbridge through funds generated at 4 select trailhead permit parking lots. Funds generated are being directed to state of good repair and service improvement projects through this collaboration with the Township of Uxbridge and the Regional Municipality of Durham.

Student Interest Grows for TRCA Green Training
Enrollment increased by 30% in this second year of the Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program’s (STEP) collaboration with McMaster University’s W. Booth School of Engineering to offer a Professional Certificate program centered around low impact development and climate resilience. STEP developed the curriculum and led the delivery of the Low-Impact Development & Climate Resilience program, which is comprised of 8 online (livestream) courses and was completed by over 80 professionals.

Knowledge Sharing and Engagement
Ecosystem and Climate Science Team participated in 71 knowledge sharing events and produced and published 58 reports and articles this year.

Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program (STEP) published 6 articles and blog posts in online media to educate and raise awareness about heat pumps and their role in reducing climate impacts associated with home heating and cooling.

Updated Floodplain Data Matters
98% of flood plain data (1,877 km of watercourse) currently meets the service delivery standard of ensuring that data is no more than 10 years old, which is an improvement over the 95% achieved in 2021.

Land and Water Data
Monitoring program efforts collected over 21M data records this year including more than 170K biodiversity records from approximately 2K monitoring sites. Data and information were presented in more than 65 documents including reports and technical memos to share this knowledge.

Meet the Monitoring Team!
Aquatic Monitoring and Management team hosted a ‘Meet the Monitoring’ team booth at the Adventures of Salmon Festival at Morningside Park on Sunday October 2nd. The festival was well attended with 1.9K+ participants. We promoted the citizen science Spotting Salmon StoryMap, and shared our local fisheries knowledge about salmon and other fish species found in Highland Creek.

West Nile Hotspot Detection
Data collected for TRCA’s West Nile Virus Surveillance and Monitoring Program are used to identify wetlands or stormwater ponds that contain large populations of larval mosquitoes capable of transmitting the virus as biting adults. Similar to previous years, monitoring results showed that most wetlands posed minimal risk for harbouring West Nile Virus vector mosquitoes. However, we did observe occasional larval mosquito hotspots in 3 wetlands and 1 stormwater management pond. With assistance from our regional health partners, control measures were taken to reduce the presence of larvae at these sites.

Climate Projections for Niagara Region
One of TRCA’s many climate services involves the analysis of complex data to understand what the future climate may look like. TRCA recently partnered with Niagara Region and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority to develop updated regional climate modeling projections to the end of the century. The data and modelling presented in this report will be a useful tool for policy development in the new Niagara Regional Official Plan. It will serve as the foundational dataset and driver for setting climate change adaptation goals.

Climate Leadership
Asset Management Ontario retained TRCA’s services to develop a training course on how to integrate climate change into municipal asset management planning. This course has been incorporated into Asset Management Ontario’s learning management system.

Climate Change Symposium
TRCA’s Climate Change Symposium held in November with 230 participants, featured a multi-disciplinary panel discussion about the impact of climate change on health inequities. The purpose of the symposium was to identify the actions needed – including research, policy, and grassroots mobilization – to address health inequities made worse by climate change in the Greater Toronto Area.

Latornell Lectures
Watershed Planning and Ecosystem Science team staff presented the following 5 topics at the 2022 Latornell Conservation Symposium:

• Integrating Climate Change into Watershed Plans
• Natural Heritage System Update
• Conducting Carbon Calculations with Clarity and Consistency: Using the Natural Asset Carbon Assessment Guide and Toolbox (with Credit Valley Conservation)
• Co-developing Watershed Plans for Effective Implementation: Case Studies From Toronto and Region
• Breaking the Mold: Replacing Traditional Stormwater Management Infrastructure with Nature-Based Low Impact Development Designs (with GEI Consultants)

Planning and Permit Applications
1,422 permit applications were issued, 87% of them meeting or exceeding the minimum mandated timelines – this despite an 8% increase over permits issued in 2021. TRCA also reviewed and commented on 1,039 planning and concept applications. Positive feedback from quarterly meetings with the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) indicate support for TRCA’s commitment to service delivery excellence.

Project Permits
Reviewed 40 Environmental Assessments (EAs) in 2022 and issued 482 permits for projects approved through the EA process.

Map Tool Helps Users Answer “Is It Regulated?”
38.4% of all Planning and Development webpage views engaged the Regulated Area Search tool to determine if a property is located within TRCA’s Regulated Area.

Ontario Lands Tribunal
Involved in 33 Ontario Land Tribunal cases and 16 appeals were settled by the end of the year, reducing the caseload from 33 to 17.

Updated By-Law
The Administrative By-Law was updated to reflect changes in the Conservation Authorities Act and streamlined to allow for hybrid meetings and electronic participation. A number of updates were made to align with the Municipal Elections Act and Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

Enforcement and Compliance
Enforcement Officers conducted 5,181 permit compliance inspections related to development and infrastructure permit plans and conditions. An additional 956 property inspections were conducted to address stakeholder complaints and violation sites. A total of 597 complaints were received and addressed. Officers issued 143 violation notices on 130 properties, and successfully resolved 68 violations through negotiations, discussions, removal, restoration, and/or the permit process.

Asset Management
Board approval was obtained for the first Capital Plan for Administration and Public Facing Facilities. The Plan will implement a long-term financial planning framework to safeguard existing service levels by ensuring that state of good repair projects are appropriately tracked for budget requests to TRCA’s municipal funding partners and other stakeholders.

Freedom of Information
Received 42 Freedom of Information Requests in 2022, and worked on 57 requests including those carried over from 2021. 47 requests were closed in 2022, with work on the remainder of requests ongoing.

Annual Audit
TRCA’s 2021 audited financial statements were issued with a clean auditor’s report.

Peel Climate Change KPI Project
In partnership with Credit Valley Conservation and through expert guidance, performance measures have been developed to track, monitor and report on the impacts and effectiveness of projects that receive Region of Peel climate change funding. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) created were used in an initial assessment involving 40+ reviewers and culminated in the inaugural report. This work enhances collective alignment and accountability, and improves the Region of Peel’s ability to evaluate progress towards their Climate Change Master Plan objectives.

Durham Water Data
Knowledge of water quality in Western Durham is made possible through an expanded monitoring partnership with Durham and York Region, 3 Ontario universities and the federal and provincial governments. 4 ongoing collaborative projects, 15 years of data through 16 maintenance surveys and 76 regional surveys ensure a fulsome understanding of the state of water quality to inform decision making. This year 2 scientific papers were submitted and 3 were published in peer reviewed journals, with another 2 drafted.

Digital System Upgrade
With the procurement process complete, a new web-based cloud platform will transform processes and gain efficiencies through modernized tracking and reporting. The Planning Application Review and Enforcement System (PARES) being developed seeks to significantly improve user and client experience.

Office Construction Progress
Construction progressed on the new TRCA administrative office building (see photos above) with finalization of the timber structure and most internal components nearing completion. Exterior landscaping, including grading and sustainability features such as storm water retention and EV charging infrastructure, also advanced. The highly anticipated occupancy for this 4-story industry-leading building centered on user wellbeing criteria is scheduled for late 2023.

Online Maps
Implemented a pilot with Avenza to provide online map resources for Kortright Centre for Conservation and Albion Hills Conservation Park. Users can locate themselves and navigate trails in real time using cell phones and no Internet connection.

TRCA began publishing Flood Plain Mapping data sets to Open Data. Anyone, anywhere, including municipal partners and external stakeholders, can now access this critical planning data.

Smarter Home Heating
Heat pumps have been identified as the primary technology for decarbonizing buildings in line with federal and municipal climate change targets. With a goal of influencing Heat Pump uptake, a communications campaign was led that targeted homeowners, government, contractors, energy auditors and industry practitioners. 10 educational webinars were delivered to 750 live participants and case studies have been downloaded 1.5K times.

Urban Invasives
TRCA partnered with University of Toronto Scarborough, with funding support from Mitacs, to develop and apply prioritization methods for invasive species management in urban areas. First, the research helped identify the priority sites for managing land-based invasive plant species based on 19 criteria using geographic information systems as a tool. Second, the research identified priority invasives species for management within the broader urban context. More than 50 invasive species were ranked and rated against 46 criteria encompassing ecological, economic, and social concerns. Together these 2 peer-reviewed publications outline priority species and priority locations to inform decision-making and help implement TRCA’s Invasive Species Management Strategy.

Eco-Accounting Helps Habitat
New research alert! The Lake Ontario nearshore area in the jurisdiction is being used as a case study to illustrate how an eco-accounting system for habitat banking and restoration can improve aquatic habitat across the Lake Ontario waterfront and Great Lakes as a whole.

Industry Partnership
In collaboration with ROMEX and Unilock, 4 pavement variations, jointing mortars and an industry-leading bedding material is being evaluated at the Kortright Centre for Conservation.

Educators Win Innovation Award

2 staff received the Watershed Interpreters’ Network’s (WIN) Innovation Award recognizing their original and inspiring work with the NatureHood Program. This year’s award recognizes programs that address eco-anxiety and support mental wellbeing through innovative programming and pedagogy. The NatureHood program is a partnership between Nature Canada and TRCA, along with other regional education providers across the country.

The program has engaged 475 people to date, with field trips customized for different demographics, ages and classes.

Webinar Series
The Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program Water Webinar Series saw excellent attendance, achieving enrollment of over 700 participants. The 21-webinar series offered to industry experts covered a range of compelling topics related to green stormwater infrastructure, natural heritage, and management of natural assets.

Infrared Cool Factor
A new article published in Remote Sensing of Environment provides evidence from thermal-based imaging on the cooling benefits of restored forests and other forest fragments and the role they play in moderating the surrounding landscape temperatures. Funded by TRCA and Mitacs, researchers used this innovative technology to study the health of Toronto regional forests over the last two years.

More Strategic Together
TRCA’s new Strategic Plan 2023-2034 received Board of Directors endorsement after nearly two years of collaborative work by TRCA staff. Each of TRCA’s 29 business units had a chance to get involved in the development of our long-term guide. Dozens of meetings, 200+ written responses, 46 subthemes and over 150 indicators evidence this work. Staff engagement continues through the complementary Playbook – our operational manual.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
In March TRCA launched our first People First Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Playbook. Developed through staff participation and Senior Leadership endorsement, it serves as a road map to build a diverse and inclusive workplace. Achievements in each of the 5 DEI Playbook pillars advance the goal of creating a TRCA where all employees are able to reach their full potential and where we can continue to build inclusive programs and services that are reflective of the diverse communities we serve.

Safety is #1
In support of TRCA’s Health and Safety Management System, an annual review was conducted assessing and evaluating legislative changes, accident and injury statistics, training updates, Joint Health and Safety Committee work, violence risk assessments, streaming of processes, Certificate of Recognition certification progress and evaluation of 2022 health and safety objectives. 11 health and safety policies were developed and updated.

Time Well Spent
Employees spent 14,779 hrs growing their skills through internal learning and development training. That’s over 20 hrs per employee. Technical skills topped the category of choice.

The Ecosystem and Climate Science team hosted 9 Lunch and Learns to support internal knowledge sharing, featuring 11 speakers and recording a total of 711 person-hours.

TRCA biologists conducted 2 days of virtual training for staff on Ecological Land Classification, the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System and vegetation identification. 1 field day was also held for staff to implement the training provided. TRCA’s science and monitoring business units also took part in the sessions to increase skill level and capacity within their teams. A total of 30 staff took part in these training sessions.

Supporting Hybrid, Flexible Work
A new desk-booking system and ongoing Office 365 support enables TRCA staff flexible, work-from-anywhere hybrid solutions.

Succession Program
In support of TRCA’s first Succession Development Program (SDP), a fulsome and objective talent review was completed. Program participants were identified through robust talent assessment, with 11 active program participants entering TRCA’s first formal SDP cohort.

Corporate Policies
47 new and updated policies and guidelines were approved and went into effect, with others being advanced by the interdivisional Policy Committee.

Celebrating Staff
An in-person breakfast ceremony at Black Creek Pioneer Village recognized 106 staff for reaching service milestone years. 8 TRCA teams across diverse portfolios were recognized on a dedicated staff recognition page that celebrates tremendous contributions and dedication.

Staying Social
TRCA’s Social Committee engaged staff in 25 events such as games, book club, various contests, guided nature walks, paint night events, and sponsored a photo booth. There were over 300 registrations for social events and over 2.1K page views for social engagement activities.

Phone Systems Go Fully Virtual
TRCA modernized its phone systems in 2022, replacing its legacy services with Microsoft Teams Phone services. This migration leverages the platform’s collaboration features along with direct-dialing capabilities to support a mobile and hybrid workforce.

eSCRIBE Streamlining
TRCA’s Clerks Office undertook a review of our digitally-based meeting management software called eSCRIBE. This review has resulted in improved overall efficiency in disseminating reports to our board and committee members and staff, and boosts transparency and efficiency.

New Regulations, New Municipal MOUs
In order to communicate the implications of the finalized Phase 2 Conservation Authorities Act regulations, TRCA reached out to the CAOs, City Managers and relevant staff of all 17 single-tier, upper-tier and lower-tier municipalities within TRCA’s jurisdiction through formal letters, as well as through staff-to-staff communciations. TRCA also circulated updated template Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and a draft inventory of programs and services to all participating and partner municipalities in order to move forward discussions and agreements on municipally-requested work and to comply with provincial requirements. An MOU was approved and executed with the Town of Stouffville and approved by Council by the Town of Uxbridge.

Lake Ontario Evenings
Nearly 400 public attendees and stakeholders tuned into Lake Ontario Evenings, a free speaker series put on by the Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan. 2 virtual presentations were held: Lessons Learned in 30 years of Restoration and How Circulation Patterns Affect Water Quality Along the Toronto Waterfront.

Climate Change in the Great Lakes Basin
With an accompanying infographic and video, Climate Change in the Great Lakes Basin: Summary of Trends and Impacts characterizes historical and future climate trends and summarizes climate change impacts within the Great Lakes basin. The report aims to increase understanding of climate change impacts in the Great Lakes basin and share findings with resource managers to address these impacts.

By the end of the century, significant temperature, precipitation, water levels, and ice cover changes are anticipated across the Great Lakes under moderate and high-emissions climate scenarios. Similar climate and hydrological trends were found for all lakes, though each lake may experience these changes differently. The report was developed by members of the GLWQA Climate Impacts Annex Subcommittee, with significant contributions from the Ontario Climate Consortium (OCC) and TRCA.

Coordinating Collaboration
With support from Environment and Climate Change Canada, TRCA will play a coordinator role to advance the Western Lake Ontario Land to Lake (L2L) initiative by bringing stakeholders together to help manage impacts across Western Lake Ontario. An advisory committee will advance dialogue, contribute to strategic planning and identify priorities for actions to improve water quality and ecosystem health in the watersheds and nearshore of Lake Ontario. 40+ Golden Horseshoe resource managers kicked off the initiative in December through a virtual info session.

Enabling Canopy Care
Through partnerships and collaboration, trees and shrubs were surveyed and inventoried across numerous municipalities in the TRCA jurisdiction. Locations include: the Town of Ajax (200 plots), Aurora, King, and Vaughan in York Region (572 plots), and Region of Peel (regional road rights-of-way network, 934 km). The data collected is being analyzed to support regional asset management planning; forest health, maintenance, and management objectives; climate change vulnerability assessments; and ecosystem service and benefit valuation.