Rural Water Quality Program

The types of projects covered, and the grant rates, vary by municipality.

For detailed information, including a list of available grants and rates, check the page for your municipality:

• Brant
• Dufferin
• Grey
• Haldimand
• Oxford
• Perth
• Waterloo
• Wellington
• Halton, Norfolk and Hamilton landowners please call 519-621-2763 ext. 2278 or email ruralwater@grandriver.ca.

Why are there different grant rates across the watershed?

Grant rates vary by county and by funding program to reflect local priorities and program budgets.

Can grants be combined from different programs for the same project?

Where you are eligible to apply to more than one program, grants may be combined. In some cases you can receive up to 100% of your project cost.

Where do I find RWQP application forms and guidelines?

To receive application forms and program guidelines, contact a Conservation Specialist at 519-621-2763 ext. 2278 or email ruralwater@grandriver.ca

How do I apply for funding for my project?

Contact a Conservation Specialist at ruralwater@grandriver.ca - they will help with your application. Please reach out early in your planning process so we can help connect you with funding programs.

My project is already complete. Can I still apply for funding?

The programs we deliver were locally developed and each have their own grant rates and eligibility criteria.  Recently completed projects may be eligible for funding. Please check with us to confirm eligibility in your area.

I was approved for a cover crop incentive. How do I claim my payment?

Staff will visit your field in early spring. They will confirm that your cover crop meets the 50% ground cover requirement and that it was managed according to program guidelines. Payment is sent after this is confirmed.

Do I need to hire a licensed well contractor for my approved well project?

Yes. To receive your approved well project grant (for an upgrade or decommission), the work must be completed by a licensed well contractor. The work the contractor is permitted to do depends on the license that is held by the well technician(s) employed by the contractor. The Ontario Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks maintains a list of licensed well contractors.

What programs are available for planting trees on my property?

Our tree planting page has information on how to order trees from GRCA and the planting services we offer.

How do I know if my property is in the Grand River watershed?

To learn if your property is in the Grand River watershed, check our watershed map or visit the Conservation Ontario website to find your local Conservation Authority. 

We deliver stewardship funding from a variety of sources. In some cases, these grants may be combined with RWQP grants. The types of projects, eligible areas, grant rates and deadlines vary by program.

Current programs include:

• Grand River Cover Crop Program

  • Farmers can receive grants to adopt cover crop projects within the Grand River watershed, with priority given to projects located within the counties of Oxford, Perth, Grey, Norfolk, the cities of Brantford or Hamilton or the Region of Halton.   

• Habitat Stewardship Program

  • Landowners in the Grand River watershed can apply for grants for projects that contribute to the recovery of endangered, threatened and other aquatic species at risk. Funding is provided by Fisheries and Oceans Canada through the Habitat Stewardship Program of Aquatic species at Risk. Project categories include:

    • milkhouse/milking parlour washwater treatment and disposal
    • clean water diversion
    • livestock access restriction to watercourses
    • erosion control structures
    • tree planting
    • sediment basin/wetland creation

To discuss the funding opportunities available to support your project, contact a Conservation Specialist at 519-621-2763 ext. 2279 or email ruralwater@grandriver.ca.

Other external grant programs

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) also delivers a variety of funding programs to support on-farm BMPs. 

With support from our Rural Water Quality Program, farmers can achieve their own environmental goals and help ensure there is enough clean water for their farms, their neighbours and all the residents of the Grand River watershed.

Program achievements

With the support of the RWQP, more than 6,500 voluntary projects have been implemented by rural landowners since 1998.

They have received grants totalling $20 million, made possible in part through long term funding support from the Region of Waterloo, and Wellington, Brant, Haldimand, Oxford and Dufferin counties. The ongoing commitment by these municipalities to share the cost of clean water benefits local economies, water quality and watershed health. 

• An estimated 100,000 kilograms of phosphorus is kept on the land and out of rivers and streams each year.
• More than 170 kilometres of stream bank have been fenced, preventing livestock access, creating buffers and stabilizing banks.
• Nearly 1,000 hectares of floodplain, riparian areas, steep slopes and sensitive groundwater areas have been retired and planted to trees.

Discover Stories from the Field

Thousands of farmers in the Grand River watershed are working to improve and protect water quality on their land.

• Meet local producers, whose contributions are highlighted through their inspiring stories from the field (the link opens an interative story map webpage).