Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Fund (LSGBCUF) Call for Detailed Proposals for Collaborative Projects
Table of Contents
1. The Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Fund (LSGBCUF)
- 2.1 Who can apply?
- 2.2 Priorities - What projects can be funded?
- 2.3 What project costs are eligible?
- 2.4 What projects and activities cannot be funded (ineligible projects)?
- 2.5 Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund Proposed Time Table
- 2.6 How can I apply?
- 2.7 Review Process
- 2.8 Project Selection Criteria
- 2.9 Reference Materials
Figure 1. Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Boundary Maps.
Figure 2. Lake Simcoe Watershed Geographical Area
Figure 3. Nottawasaga Valley Geographical Area
Figure 4. South-Eastern Georgian Bay Geographical Area
Appendix 1: Examples of projects which might be funded through the Fund
Appendix 2: Detailed Proposal Application Form
1. The Lake Simcoe/ South–eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Fund
1.1 Purpose
The 2007 – 2012 Lake Simcoe Clean-up Fund (LSCUF) was successful in accelerating the adoption of beneficial management practices (BMPs) in the watershed, reducing phosphorous loads from urban and rural sources, and improving information and monitoring for decision making.
The Government of Canada announced in Budget 2012 $29 million in funding to establish a renewed and expanded 2012-2017 Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Clean-up Fund (herein called the Fund). The geographic scope of the initiative will expand beyond the Lake Simcoe drainage basin, to include the adjacent drainage basins emptying into south-eastern Georgian Bay, including the watersheds and bays of Nottawasaga Valley, Severn Sound, and the targeted coastal regions west of Highway 400/69 north of Port Severn to the French River. The extension and expansion of the program will reduce phosphorous inputs into Lake Simcoe and South-eastern Georgian Bay, improve water quality, and conserve critical aquatic habitat and associated species in these waters.
The following are the main objectives for projects within the Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Clean-up Fund:
- to improve environmental monitoring, assessment and scientific information required to measure the effectiveness of control strategies, and identify and assess alternative approaches to reducing phosphorous discharges;
- to conserve critical aquatic habitat and associated species through targeted aquatic habitat protection, restoration and creation projects;
- to reduce rural and urban non-point sources of phosphorous / nutrients, including implementation of BMPs for the management of soil, crops, livestock, and water use, septic systems and creating and rehabilitating wetlands and naturalizing watercourses to attenuate phosphorous discharges;
- to reduce discharge of phosphorous from point sources including sewage, combined sewer overflows and urban stormwater systems including support to development and testing of innovative approaches to manage urban stormwater and wastewater.
The purpose of this call letter is to invite detailed proposals for on projects that will contribute to the above objectives.
1.2 Administration of the Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Fund
The Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Program will be administered by Environment Canada’s Ontario Regional Director General’s Office and is modeled (with revisions) after the 2007-2012 Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund Program.
The project review process will include an assessment by a technical review committee. Projects which pass the assessment (meets program objectives, technically feasible and can provide tangible results) will be forwarded to the Public Advisory Committee (PAC) for review. The program will benefit from a PAC which will provide local knowledge and assistance and which is comprised of representatives from the Lake Simcoe watershed and from the area of South-eastern Georgian Bay.
The strategic priorities for the Fund are based on current science and will be reviewed periodically with stakeholders.
1.3 Matching requirement and Fund limitations
The Fund will target a federal contribution of one-third, but allow up to two-thirds contribution of the total cost of a project. The Fund will support engineering type studies but will not support capital or operating costs of municipal infrastructure projects (e.g. sewers, sewage treatment plants, storm water ponds). An emphasis will be placed on leveraging other funding sources and collaborative partnerships.
Potential sources of matching funds and how collaborations are to be undertaken (cash, in-kind, contributions by the applicant, landowners or others involved in the project, use of equipment, expertise etc) must be described in the detailed proposals.
Letters verifying the role and support provided by external collaborators will be requested in the detailed project proposal.
2. Application Process
- Landowners
- Environmental groups
- Community groups (e.g. youth and seniors groups, community-based associations, service clubs)
- Small and medium sized business (e.g. developers, industries etc.)
- Aboriginal organizations (e.g. First Nations Councils, Métis Associations)
- Conservation Authorities
- Stewardship Networks
- Agriculture Associations
- Non-governmental organizations
- Educational institutions
- Industry
- Provincial/territorial/municipal governments
2.2 Priorities - What projects can be funded?
This call for detailed proposals is issued to fund collaborative projects with the goal of reducing phosphorous inputs into Lake Simcoe and South-eastern Georgian Bay, improve water quality, and conserve critical habitat and associated species in these waters. All projects must meet the intent of at least one of the priorities below:
- Research and monitoring to improve environmental information for decision making in South-eastern Georgian Bay and/or Lake Simcoe;
- Conservation (e.g. protection, restoration, creation) of critical aquatic habitats and their associated species populations;
- Reduction of rural and urban non-point source phosphorous / nutrients; and
- Reduction of point sources of phosphorous / nutrients.
Eligible Projects
- Must be inside the geographic scope;
- Support targeted(e.g., as per existing conservation plans and strategies) aquatic habitat protection, restoration, and creation projects in areas of known water quality problems (e.g., as per watershed report cards, management plans, and studies) and habitat degradation;
- Support community stewardship projects to conserve aquatic habitat;
- Support the implementation of Beneficial Management Practices that reduce urban and/or rural non-point sources of nutrients (e.g. surface runoff reduction, erosion control structures, vegetated buffers, cattle exclusion, alternative watering projects and phosphorous/nutrient management planning and recovery projects), assessment studies, and restoration of aquatic habitat impaired by excess phosphorous;
- Support the promotion of septic system inspections, upgrades and replacements in areas of known water quality problems;
- Support the development and implementation of innovative technologies, techniques and demonstration projects that reduce nutrient loading from municipal wastewater and stormwater systems and other point source discharges;
- Support the development of approaches to improve the efficiency and effluent quality of municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs); and communicate findings to decision makers;
- Conduct water quality monitoring to measure phosphorous in the aquatic systems of South-eastern Georgian Bay including nearshore and tributary systems;
- Conduct research and monitoring to assess conditions and causes contributing to increased phosphorous inputs into South-eastern Georgian Bay and nuisance and toxic algae growth to fill information gaps and aid in restoration and protection efforts; and
- Conduct and support other research and monitoring necessary to guide the development and implementation of measures to reduce phosphorous/nutrient inputs and address low oxygen conditions and toxic/nuisance algae growth.
Projects can be multi-year in nature and those that are not accepted in this round may be re-submitted in subsequent funding rounds. There is an annual funding round each autumn. Environment Canada's fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31. Examples of eligible projects are described in more detail in Appendix 1.
2.3 What project costs are eligible?
Eligible Costs
- Human Resources including salaries & benefits;
- Operating expenses (e.g., travel and field costs, training, materials, supplies, production, translation, printing, office rent, and utilities);
- Equipment purchase and lease (e.g. shovels, rentals of trucks/tractors/boats, office equipment, etc);
- A reasonable share of overhead;
- Management, professional and contract services (e.g. accounting, monitoring, communications, evaluation and audit, liability insurance costs, legal fees); and
- Other Incremental costs.
If it is determined that the proposed project’s cost is prohibitive, but has significant merit, program staff may negotiate with the project lead to explore options to reduce project costs.
2.4 What projects and activities cannot be funded (ineligible projects)?
- Projects or activities already underway prior to funding approval;
- Projects designed only to beautify an area;
- The purchase or construction of infrastructure (e.g. buildings, roads, and bridges);
- The purchase of land; and
- Capital or operating costs of municipal infrastructure projects (e.g. sewers, sewage treatment plants, stormwater ponds).
Please note this is not a complete list. If you are unsure about any of the examples listed above or the eligibility of your project and activities, please contact us for clarification.
2.5 Clean-Up Fund Proposed Time Table
| Fall Submission (for year 2013-2014) Round 1 | Activities |
|---|---|
| January 25, 2013 | Deadline for Detailed Proposals |
| April 30, 2013 | Anticipated Approval date |
IMPORTANT:
Expenditures made by your organization for the project after the date on the official notification/approval letter from Environment Canada (EC) and before an agreement is signed may be considered for reimbursement by EC. However only those expenditures described in the agreement will be considered for reimbursement by EC.
2.6 How can I apply?
Applicants are required to send:
- Three original, signed, unbound paper copies in either of Canada's official languages, and
- An electronic copy by email in Microsoft® Word or a compatible format
to:
Kathy Finch
Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Fund
Regional Director's Office - Ontario Region
Environment Canada
867 Lakeshore Road
Burlington ON L7R 4A6
Tel: (905) 336-4414
Fax: (905) 336-6272
ls-gbfund@ec.gc.ca
Note: The project contact organization and name must be the recipient and manager of funds allocated through an Environment Canada Contribution Agreement throughout the duration of the project. Once the project has been approved, no changes to the initial recipient are possible.
2.7 Review Process
All detailed proposals submitted will be reviewed by Environment Canada against the funding priorities, eligibility requirements, and program goals and objectives of the Fund.
Project proposals will undergo a four-stage approvals process: (1) Administrative Review; a general screening by Environment Canada to ensure that applications meet program funding requirements and are complete; (2) Technical Review; by a multi-partite committee to determine whether the project meets one or more of the objectives of the program; is technically feasible and can provide tangible results; (3) Public Review; by way of a Public Advisory Committee to provide local knowledge and assistance for consideration in recommending projects for approval; and (4) to obtain final approval of recommended projects; at the Minister’s discretion.
2.8 Project Selection Criteria
The following criteria may be used in the assessment of projects:
- Research and monitoring activities to facilitate and improve management decision-making within the geographic scope of South-eastern Georgian Bay;
- Actions that will advance the Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up priorities in relation to the restoration of the watersheds and coastal regions;
- Measurable environmental benefits derived from the project (e.g. reduction in phosphorous / nutrient loading, innovative and cost-saving control technologies and rehabilitation methods);
- Transferability & exponential value (best practices/lessons learned will be shared with others or model project for implementation by others);
- On the ground implementation projects;
- Amount of leveraged funding;
- Extent of project collaboration, extent of community engagement and visibility;
- Project location is within a priority watershed known to be significant source of phosphorous loading to Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay;
- Technical feasibility;
- Clarity and scope of objectives;
- Value for money; and
- Opportunities for technology and/or knowledge transfer, new and innovative technologies for storm water and nutrient management, cost-saving control technologies and rehabilitation methods.
2.9 Reference Materials
Project proponents are encouraged to go to the Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund website for further information.
Internet English: www.ec.gc.ca/doc/eau-water/simcoe_e.html
Internet French: www.ec.gc.ca/doc/eau-water/simcoe_f.html
Figure 1. Lake Simcoe / South-eastern Georgian Bay Boundary Map
Figure 2. Lake Simcoe Watershed Geographical Area
Figure 3. Nottawasaga Valley Geographical Area
Figure 4. South-eastern Georgian Bay Geographical Area
Appendix 1: Examples of projects which might be funded
| FUNDING PRIORITY | POTENTIAL PROJECTS |
|---|---|
| Research and monitoring to improve environmental information for decision-making |
|
| Conservation (e.g. protection, restoration, creation) of critical aquatic habitat and their associated species populations |
|
| Reduction of rural and urban non-point source phosphorous / nutrients |
|
| Reduction of point sources of phosphorous /nutrients |
|
Appendix 2: Detailed Proposal Application Form
Download a copy of the detailed proposal application form. The deadline for submitting your detailed proposals to Environment Canada is January 25th 2013. (Form in Word format)
- Date Modified: