Contact(s)
Financial assistance may be available to qualified landowners in Wellington County to share the cost of selected best management practices that improve and protect ground and surface water quality. An Environmental Farm Plan is required.
Grant rates under the Rural Water Quality Program may be adjusted if combined with other funding programs for a total grant of 80 per cent up to 100 per cent.
The program is funded by Wellington County.
How to apply
Contact the Rural Water Quality Program staff at your local Conservation Authority.
- Grand River: 519-621-2761 or ruralwater@grandriver.ca.
- Maitland Valley: 519-335-3557 Ext. 236 or maitland@mvca.on.ca
- Saugeen Valley: 519-367-3040 Ext. 235 or j.harbinson@svca.on.ca
- Credit Valley: 1-800-668-5557 Ext. 720 or mark.eastman@cvc.ca
- Halton: 905-336-1158 Ext. 2263 or clavender@hrca.on.ca
- Hamilton: 905-525-2181 Ext. 196 or jstock@conservationhamilton.ca
Conservation specialists will help you plan your project and complete your application.
A committee will evaluate your project on its potential to improve and protect water quality.
Upon approval by the committee, you can proceed with the project. You will receive payment for the project after completion and inspection by staff.
| Project categories | Grant Rate |
| Manure storage and handling systems | 50 per cent up to $25,000 |
| Manure storage decommissioning | 50 per cent up to $3,000 |
| Clean water diversion | 50 per cent up to $5,000 |
| Dead stock composting facilities | 50 per cent up to $4,000 |
| Exclusion fencing | 75 per cent to 100 per cent up to $10,000 |
| Fuel storage | 50 per cent up to $4,000 |
| Fertilizer and chemical storage and handling | 50 per cent up to $2,500 |
| Erosion control structures (grassed waterways, water & sediment control basins, stream bank stabilization) | 75 per cent up to $15,000 |
| Machinery crossings | 50 per cent up to $5,000 |
| Tree planting (stream buffers, fragile land retirement, field windbreaks) | 75 per cent up to $10,000. Performance incentive of $350/acre per year for three years to a maximum of 10 acres. |
| Cover crops | Performance incentive of $60/acre for up to 50 acres |
| Milking centre washwater treatment and disposal | 50 per cent up to $5,000 |
| Living snow fence | 80 - 100 per cent up to $5,000. Performance incentive of $500/acre per year for three years to a maximum of 10 acres. |
| Natural area restoration and creation | 80 per cent up to $7,500. Performance incentive of $350/acre per year for three years to a maximum of 10 acres. |
| Nutrient management plans | 75 - 100 per cent up to $2,000 |
| Wellhead protection | 80 per cent up to $2,000 |
| Well abandonment | 100 per cent up to $2,500 |
| Crop nutrient plans | 75 per cent up to $2,000 |
| Innovative projects | 50 per cent up to $10,000 |
Wellington County Well Program
Financial assistance may be available to non-farm landowners in Wellington County to protect or improve a safe water supply. Applicants must contact their local conservation authority (see contact information above) to complete an application.
| Project categories | Grant rates |
| Wellhead abandonment | 100 per cent up to $1,500 per well |
| Wellhead protection | 80 per cent up to $1,000 per well |
Other GRCA programs
If your property is within the Upper Nith River subwatershed (upstream of New Hamburg), the Upper Nith River Program has additional funding for projects that manage phosphorus losses on farms. Funds from the Rural Water Quality Program may be stacked with funds from the Upper Nith River Program.
Contact Rural Water Quality Program staff to find out more about additional funding opportunities.
