ALUS Alberta Municipal Alliance & ALUS Canada The Alberta Common Ground Alliance and the Alberta Public Works Association, Alberta s New Wetlands Policy Red Deer, February 4, 2016 Daryl Watt, Reeve, County of Vermillion River Lorraine Becker, Director Development, ALUS Canada lbecker@alus.ca
County of Vermillion River (CVR), ALUS Canada and Wetlands Presentation By Daryl Watt, Reeve County of Vermilion River
1990s/early 2000s: the area within CVR, NW of Lloydminster, experienced substantial development (industrial and rural residential) HISTORY
HISTORY May 2006: Big Gully Stormwater Management Plan, Preliminary Wetland Assessment Recommended the development of: Wetland Inventory Wetland Conservation Plan
BIG GULLY STORMWATER December 2006: Recommended the development of: Guideline for information requirements for subdivisions, as related to natural wetlands and stormwater; A stakeholder steering committee including area landowners. MASTER PLAN
2007-8: Proposal developed to address recommendations from the 2 reports January 2009: MOU signed between CVR and Delta Waterfowl for 3-year Pilot Project ALUS Canada
Purpose: to create healthy landscapes that sustain agriculture, wildlife and natural spaces for all Canadians. ALUS Canada works with agricultural landowners to establish wetland, riparian and other ecological projects ALUS Canada
ALUS Canada During 3-year pilot, ALUS program signed up about 20 landowners and 2000 acres ALUS is now a permanent program in CVR
Wetland Mitigation Agent April 2013: MOA signed with Province to become the first rural municipal Restoration Agency 5-year Pilot Project
Wetland Mitigation Agent Purpose: to collect compensation funds from lost wetlands And to use those funds to deliver wetland restoration projects on: County-owned land ALUS projects Drainage corridors
WETLAND MITIGATION AGENT To date CVR has collected compensation funds for approximately 76 hectares of lost wetlands 2015 saw the 1 st restoration project completed on County owned land 2 nd project is underway on private land (ALUS)
G R O W T H SUSTAINABILITY
The ALUS Canada Program, the ALUS Alberta Municipal Alliance, & the Alberta Wetlands Policy Presentation by Lorraine Becker, Director Development, Western Canada ALUS Canada lbecker@alus.ca
Outline: How does the ALUS Program work? What does the Municipal Alliance do? How does the Wetlands Policy fit in? Some thoughts on development
We ask producers to produce our food - but what about producing wildlife, clean water, and a healthy environment? It s time we embrace the stewardship ethic of the very folks who care most about the land
Creating healthy ecosystem benefits
Creating healthy ecosystem benefits $$$$
Partnership Advisory Committee PAC
ALUS Canada Community Flows - Money to deliver a proven model - Proprietary Data Base, GIS, templates etc. - Program Support - Connectivity - Project Delivery Manual (Cookbook) - Communications - Policy Development - Business Development - Research - Market Access - Acres (Ecosystem Services) - Budgeting and target setting - Financial reporting - Recognition - PAC Engagement
ALUS Canada Principles Community-developed Farmer-delivered Targeted Market-driven Voluntary Integrated Accountable Science-based
It s voluntary, and paid as you go
ALUS Alberta Municipal Alliance: Provincial Alignment
New 2015: Mountain View Lac Ste. Anne Potential near future: Leduc Wetaskiwin Northern Sunrise Brazeau Lacombe Wainwright Flagstaff Kneehill Minburn Warner
ALUS Canada and the Wetlands Policy Landowners bring projects Rental model No easements
Ideas to develop Partner with existing mitigation agents Keep mitigation dollars local Municipalities register as mitigation agents ALUS Canada supplies projects and implementation mechanisms Verification costs?