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Environment

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Bird/Fish Die-offs

Tiny has faced bird and fish die offs since 2011, usually as a result of Botulism, at which time 12 staff members completing the collections, three loaders and three trucks were used to collect, transport and dispose of the carcasses.

Since then, and usually around September/October we see a small die off take place and handle the removal and disposal quickly.

The following course of action was initiated in the past and is what we’ve found to be most effective for residents.

  • Owners are to be cautioned to wear rubber gloves when handling any carcasses
  • Owners may collect the carcasses and place them in black garbage bags. The bags are to be double bagged
  • Carcasses will not be collected before Monday morning if bags left out after Friday in order for the Township to assist in the disposal
  • The way is to contact the Township before placing the bag at the road to advise of the exact location
  • The garbage bags are to be placed at the end of the driveway, not the garbage box
  • Calls to report garbage bag locations received after 2:00pm each day will not be acted upon until the next business day
  • Bags should not be left at the roadside overnight as they may be destroyed by scavengers
  • The Township will pick up the garbage as soon as practical after being called.

Please note that the Township cannot remove items from Private Property.

Although this matter is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and is beyond the normal scope of work of the Township, the Township provides this service as a means to assist residents in disposing of the dead birds and fish.

Assistance is provided to residents who call the Township directly in order that we can avoid having bags of dead carcasses sitting uncollected on the roadside due to staff not being properly informed.

**Shoreline private property owners and others can report dead or dying waterfowl to the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre at 1-866-673-4781.

To report die offs, please call the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at 1-800-667-1940.


From the Ministry of Natural Resources website:

How to report a fish die-off:

When you report a fish die-off, you will be asked for:

  • your name, address and phone number
  • details about the fish and the location

Information about the fish:

  • the kind of fish (baitfish or game fish)
  • the species, if you know it (e.g., walleye, bass)
  • how many (e.g., a dozen, a hundred, a thousand, thousands)
  • condition (e.g., dead, dying, decomposed)
  • visible signs of illness (e.g., pale gills, bloated abdomens, bulging eyes, bleeding)

Location and conditions:

  • waterbody (e.g., Lake Scugog, Lynde Creek)
  • closest municipality (e.g., Port Perry, Whitby)
  • location or landmarks (e.g., 100 metres east of the boat launch, south of the bridge)
  • recent weather or environmental conditions

If you discover a fish die-off, contact the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at 1-800-667-1940 from Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

If you suspect the fish died as a result of a spill rather than disease, call the: Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change - Spills Action Centre at 1-800-268-6060.

First Blue Community in Ontario

​The Township of Tiny is honoured to be recognized as the first Blue Community in Ontario and the third in all of Canada.  In order to become a Blue Community, a municipality must recognize water as a human right, ban the sale of bottled water in civic spaces and support the public ownership of water utilities.

Your Municipal Council has acted on these principles by contacting both the Federal and Provincial governments, urging them to advocate that the right to potable water be enshrined in international law.  The municipality will no longer sell single-use bottled water in its facilities or provide it at municipal meetings where access to municipal tap water is available.  The municipality will continue to own and operate, to the highest standards, our own water supply systems.

The Blue Communities Project is an initiative of the Council of Canadians, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and, in Quebec, the Eau Secours. For more information about this program, follow the link below entitled Blue Communities:

Blue Communities

The Township of Tiny's resolutions on this matter can be seen by following the link below:

Blue Community Resolutions

Tree Seedling Distribution Program

​Severn Sound Environmental Association and the Township of Tiny are working together to provide residents with reasonably priced, native tree and shrub seedlings for planting in early spring each year.

Tree seedlings must be pre-ordered. The 2018 deadline for ordering is Friday, January 19, 2018.

2018 Tree Distribution Poster

Full program details are available through the Severn Sound Environmental Association

Beach Reporting

Beach Reporting​

For current Beach Postings, please follow the link below to be directed to the Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit Beach Posting webpage.

http://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/Topics/SafeWater/beachwater/postingsclosures.aspx 


Beach Reporting History

For the Beach Reporting History for the Township of Tiny as prepared by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, please follow the links below.

2013 Beach Reporting History

2014 Beach Reporting History

2015 Beach Reporting History

2016 Beach Reporting History

Severn Sound Environmental Association

​Severn Sound is a group of bays covering an area of approximately 130 km² and is located in southeastern Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. The immediate watershed of the Sound covers an area of approximately 1000 km². The contact between the Precambrian shield and the sedimentary bedrock with varying overburden runs down the middle of the Sound. The basin is a complex of sheltered to exposed bays ranging from 2 to 4 m deep in the eastern end to a 43 m deep basin off the northern end of Beausoleil Island where the Sound meets Georgian Bay.

The Severn Sound watershed encompasses a combination of small urban and rural areas with a permanent population of approximately 110,000 people and a seasonal population of 300,000 people. The small urban areas are served by nine municipal sewage plants and extensive areas on private sewage systems. Municipal water supplies include thirty two groundwater systems and two surface water systems.

Please visit the Severn Sound Environmental Association webpage for more information.

In 2016, the Severn Sound Environmental Association (SSEA) conducted a survey of private water wells in the Farlain Lake area, funded by the Township of Tiny. Click here to review the report.

The SSEA wetland evaluation of Tiny Bog was reviewed and accepted by the Ministry of Natural Resources. The SSEA has subsequently prepared a final report on the project. Click here to review the report.

Nomination Form for the Bob Whittam Award

Nomination Form for the SSEA Environmental Stewardship Award

Nomination Form for the SSEA Source Water Protection Award

Nomination Form for the SSEA Student Environmental Award

Sustainable Severn Sound

Sustainable Severn Sound (SSS) is a collaborative, multi-sector sustainability program with the objectives to (1) educate municipalities on best practices and connect them to resources, (2) encourage the adoption of practices/policies within local municipal operations to support sustainable communities, and (3) advocate for sustainable environmental, social and economic practices/policies. SSS is currently leading the development of the region’s first Local Climate Change Action Plan. To learn more or to get involved, please visit www.sustainablesevernsound.ca  

Septic Re-Inspection Program

Under the authority of By-law 02-18 enacted on April 29th, 2002, Council directed the initiation of a Township wide Septic Re-inspection Program.

To date the program has been very successful with every sewage system in the Township having been inspected.  

As per Council direction, in 2010 the second round of inspections began and a new area is inspected each spring.  Click on the link below for more information on the Septic Re-inspection Program, including a map of the proposed areas for septic re-inspection.  

Septic Re-inspection Program

Septage Management Study

Township of Tiny

Notice of Study Status

Septage Management

Class Environmental Assessment Study


The Study

The Township of Tiny has completed Phases 1 and 2 of a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate options for the management of septage generated by private onsite sewage systems. Current practice for dealing with septage and holding tank wastes in the Township is primarily land application by private haulers, as there is currently no capacity within the Township to treat these wastes. Due to pending regulatory changes, as well as concerns raised about the current practice of land application, the Township has completed Phases 1 and 2 of a Class EA to develop a Septage Management Plan to deal with these wastes in an environmentally and financially responsible manner.

Based on an evaluation of planning and design alternatives, and considering public support and agency input, the preferred alternative solution was found to be “Construct a septage treatment facility within the Township, with full treatment of solids and liquids”. This alternative will require the Township to conduct additional studies. Specifically, the Township is required to complete Phases 3, 4 and 5 of the Class EA process, as the preferred solution involves a Schedule “C” undertaking.


The Process

The study is being carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Engineers Association Municipal Class Environmental Assessment document (2000, as amended in 2007 and 2011). Phases 1 and 2 of the process are complete, and the Township intends to proceed with Phases 3 and 4 of the Class EA. Three Public Information Centres (PICs) were held during Phases 1 and 2 of the Class EA, and there will be additional opportunities for public input and comment throughout the remaining Phases of the Class EA process. Public input is welcome at any time throughout the Class EA process.


Project File Report

The planning and decision-making process for Phases 1 and 2 of this Class EA Study have been documented in a Project File Report (PFR). The PFR is available for viewing on the Township’s website at http://www.tiny.ca and at the following location:

Township of Tiny
130 Balm Beach Road West
Tiny, ON. L0L 2J0
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information, visit the Septage Management Study page.



Severn Sound Sustainability Plan

The Severn Sound Sustainability Plan was created for the nine municipalities of the Severn Sound watershed (Tiny, Tay, Penetanguishene, Midland, Orillia, Georgian Bay, Oro-Medonte, Severn, and Springwater). The Severn Sound Sustainability Plan is a vision for the Severn Sound watershed, which states:

By 2050, the Severn Sound watershed will contain a network of communities that have achieved a sustainable quality of life for all citizens by developing a common culture of environmental, economic, and social balance.

The development of the Severn Sound Sustainability Plan was a collaborative process that began in December 2007. It was organized by a Steering Committee, and involved support from a 50+ member stakeholder group, and a 400+ member Citizen Panel. The Sustainability Plan was finalized and endorsed by all nine partner municipalities in Spring 2009 (including the Township of Tiny). Work on the implementation of the Sustainability Plan is underway.

The Sustainability Plan includes goals, strategies, and actions to ensure the environmental integrity, economic prosperity, and community well-being of the communities in the watershed. There are 15 priority areas, which include:

Environmental Integrity

Economic Prosperity

Community Well-Being

  •    Natural heritage
  •    Biodiversity
  •    Resource consumption
  •    Infrastructure and land  use
  •    Environmental education
  •    Business retention and employment
  •   Communications
  •   Tourism
  •   Vibrant Downtowns
  •    Agriculture
  •    Health and wellness
  •    Housing
  •    Active Living
  •    Arts & Culture
  •    Social Networks

Click the link to view the 2016 Municipal Sustainability Report Card.

For more information please visit our website at www.sustainablesevernsound.ca

Endangered Species

Ontario is home to about 30,000 native plant and animal species. Across the province is a stunning array of wildlife from peregrine falcons and beluga whales, to tiny pugnose shiners and wild hyacinth. Today, however, more than 200 of Ontario's wild species are at risk of disappearing, including these ones mentioned above.

How do species become at risk?

There are a number of reasons why species become at risk, including habitat loss, pollution and resource management activities, as well as the spread of invasive species and disease. The good news is that Ontarians can work together to protect and recover many of these species.

Who decides when a species is at risk?

When there is concern a species may be at risk, an independent committee of experts reviews the species to assess the situation. If the committee classifies a species as "at risk," the Ministry of Natural Resources must respond by adding it to the Species at Risk in Ontario List right away.

For more information regarding species at risk, please visit the Province of Ontario webpage - Species Act Risk.

Forked Three-awned Grass (Aristida basiramea)

 endangered

 Since Forked Three-awned Grass is an annual, its growth and reproduction are influenced by each year’s environmental conditions. This makes estimating population size difficult, as a number of plants present in an area may remain relatively undetectable in the soil seed bank during any given year.

Action Plan for the Forked Three-awned grass in Ontario

Invasive Species

Invasive species refers to any plant, animal, or insect that is not native to Ontario. The danger of invasive species is that they have the ability to compete with, and replace, native Ontario species in their natural habitat. Further, they may have no natural enemies or means of control to prevent rampant growth.

Most, if not all invasive species arrive as a result of human activity. Settlers brought plants to remind them of home. Insects were introduced to control a threat or perceived threat. Shipping allowed the transfer of plants through natural packing material, soil in ballast, and seeds in fodder.  

If you suspect an invasive species such as phragmites or giant hogweed is located on Township-owned property, please report it to the Public Works Department at 705-526-4204. 

Giant Hogweed:

One invasive species of concern is Giant Hogweed. Giant hogweed is not new to Ontario, but it has become a growing concern for landowners. This invasive species can suffocate local vegetation and pose a serious health risk to people who come in contact with it. Giant hogweed sap causes severe dermatitis or burns and blisters on the skin. This sensitivity can last for several years after exposure. Please follow the links below to learn more about this species and how to identify it.

Giant Hogweed Information

Giant Hogweed Video

Phragmites:

Another invasive species is Phragmites. Although this plant does not pose a health risk to humans it does replace native grasses in their natural habitat. The following links provide more information about phragmites:

Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservication - Invasive Species

Phragmite Control Resource for Private Property Owners

Phragmities Information

Emerald Ash Borer:

The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive insect native to eastern Asia that attacks and eventually destroys healthy ash trees.  It was discovered in 2002 in Michigan and Ontario and likely came here in a shipment of untreated wooden packing material from Asia.

For more information on the Emeralds Ash Borer, please click on the links below.

Letter to Ontario Urban Forest Council - Control and Management of Emerald Ash Borer - July 9, 2013

Canadian Food Inspection Agency Information - Emerald Ash Borer

Terrestrial and Aquatic Invasive Species

To find out more information about Terrestrial and Aquatic Invasive Species, please visit the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Severn Sound Environmental Association Workshop: Invasive Species, April 2012.

Please click on the links below:

SSEA Invasive Species Workshop

ALIENS AMONG US - WEB REFERENCES

ALIENS AMONG US - WEB REFERENCES

Geese Management

What can be done?

Canada Geese are protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, and it is illegal to interfere with the bird or to disturb the nests without special permission from the Canadian Wildlife Service. So what can be done? Consider some of the following deterrent techniques, either individually or in concert with your neighbors or local association:

1. Reduce the attractiveness of your property to geese by not locating manicured lawns next to the water, and by maintaining shoreline buffers of tall grasses, shrubs, hedges, low walls or fences.

2. Discourage nesting with scare tactics as soon as the geese arrive to keep them from settling on your property. Noisemakers, strobe lights, reflective tape, models of predators such as eagles or owls, and trained dogs may be useful in the short term, but must be varied frequently and continuously since the geese adapt quickly to the disturbance. Remember, these techniques may annoy your neighbors and push the problem to neighboring areas.

3. Don’t feed the geese! This may not keep them away, but at least it doesn’t put out the welcome mat.

4. Obtain a permit through the Canadian Wildlife Service to sterilize eggs during nesting season (mid-April through mid-May). Egg oiling effectively prevents hatching without triggering the female to lay a new batch of eggs. For more information on recommended oil and oiling techniques, contact Dawn Allen at the Township offices 705 526-4204 extension 254.

5. Obtain a permit through the Canadian Wildlife Service to discharge a firearm. Kill permits, subject to strict controls, may be issued if other techniques have proven ineffective and damages are severe.

No one solution will address all the concerns with growing geese populations. The solution requires a consistent, cooperative approach between individuals, community associations and various levels of government using a variety of methods over a period of time. Public education and active dialogue are necessary to inform residents about the nature and extent of the issue and control techniques currently available, and to develop acceptable strategies to effectively meet the challenges posed by growing geese populations.

Green Ribbon Champion Program

Green Ribbon Champion is a shoreline stewardship and education program designed to provide advise, resources and support to shoreline residents in Georgian Bay.

By engaging the local community in wise coastal stewardship, the Green Ribbon Champion program will improve the health of Tiny Township beaches.​

For complete details about the program, please follow the link below:

The Lake Huron Centre For Coastal Conservation - Green Ribbon Champion Program

Green Ribbon Champion - Program Backgrounder 2015

Lake Simcoe & South Eastern Georgian Bay Community Stewardship Program

This multi-year program provides education, support, and financial incentives to help implement water quality and other environmental improvement projects. Click the link below to be redirected to the Lake Simcoe & Georgian Bay Stewardship Program. 

Lake Simcoe & Georgian Bay Stewardship Program

Water Upgrading Project

McMahan Drinking Water System
Environmental Assessment (EA)

To view the notice and explanation of the project, please click on the link below entitled "Notice of Commencement".

Notice of Commencement

To view the slideshow presentation detailing the process and options of the project, please click on the link below entitled "Presentation".

Presentation

To view the well captures zones which shows aquifer flow areas around existing Bluewater Water System wells, please click on the link below entitled "Well Capture Zones".

Well Capture Zones

To view the notice requesting public input including contact information, please click on the link below entitled "Request for Comments".

Request for Comments

To obtain the form that can be used for providing comments, please click on the link below entitled "Comment Form".

Comment form

Note - A letter or e-mail is also acceptable to provide comments.