The County of Prince Edward and neighbouring municipalities have come together to support the development of a Bay of Quinte Lake Ontario Shoreline Management Plan.
Quinte Conservation will lead the project on behalf of the regional partners including The County, City of Belleville, City of Quinte West, the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Town of Deseronto, and Town of Greater Napanee. Zuzek Inc., a coastal engineering consultant, will provide support on the project.
“We are excited to see this project move forward given the impact that high water levels had on our community in 2017 and 2019 as well as the ongoing development pressures along approximately 800 kilometres of shoreline in Prince Edward County,” Mayor Steve Ferguson said.
The project is intended to help Quinte Conservation and municipalities manage the natural hazards along the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario shoreline. The final plan will offer several benefits including:
- An up-to-date inventory of the shoreline
- Updated natural hazard mapping for flooding, erosion, and dynamic beaches
- Recommendations for protecting the shoreline and residents who live along it
- Information to inform municipal planning recommendations and decisions
“We look forward to working with Prince Edward County and other partner municipalities to develop a plan that will help manage and protect the water resources throughout the Quinte region,” says Brad McNevin, CAO, Quinte Conservation.
Half of the funding for the project is covered by the Government of Canada’s National Disaster Mitigation Program. The other half is shared by the partner municipalities based on the length of shoreline in each jurisdiction. The County’s portion of approximately $175,000 will come from funds set aside in the 2021 municipal budget for addressing the climate change emergency.
Quinte Conservation will form a working group that will include staff from partner municipalities and organizations. The public will have opportunities to offer feedback during the process. Work is slated to get underway this fall with the plan finalized in early 2022.
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For media inquiries, please contact Mark Kerr, Communications and Consultation Supervisor, at 613.476.2148 ext. 1009 or by email at mkerr@pecounty.on.ca.