COVID-19 FAQ

The regular GRCA General Membership meeting schedule is being maintained; however, meetings will be held virtually and streamed live on our Board Webcast page. Members of the public are invited to watch the meetings online.

The GRCA board meets monthly, usually on the fourth Friday of the month beginning at 9:30 a.m. The board agendas, reports and minutes are available in our board meeting calendar.

The GRCA's flood forecasting and warning system is critical to the safety of watershed residents. The GRCA is maintaining this critical service to the community, and will continue to work with municipal first responders to help protect the lives and property of our watershed residents in the event of flooding.

Please visit our flood forecasting and warning system page to learn more.

Yes. We continue to accept permit applications through our online permit application system. If you are unsure of how to apply for a permit, please review the information on our website about how to apply for a permit.

There will be a delay in processing your application as GRCA staff are not available to conduct in-person site inspections at this time. In addition, if you have any questions about the application process you may contact the appropriate planner for your township or municipality via email. In your email, please include your name, contact information, location and a description of your proposal or your question.

• Wetland, watercourse and other natural hazard mapping and ecological data is available on the Grand River Information Network (GRIN)
• Ecological data is available to the public through our data download tool at https://data.grandriver.ca/downloads.html
• For fisheries and general ecological data, contact the local office of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
• For species at risk information, visit the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
• For federally listed aquatic species at risk mapping, visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• For rare, threatened and endangered species and spaces in Ontario, please visit  Ontario’s Natural Heritage Information Centre
• Other general ecological information may be found on iNaturalist or eBird.

Concerns related to reservoirs and property owned and managed by the GRCA should be shared via email or by calling 1-866-900-4722.

Fish die-offs, spills and other water quality concerns not on GRCA property should be directed to the Ontario Spills Action Centre at 1-800-268-6060.

No, not at this time. All previously approved research permits have been temporarily suspended until further notice.

Please subscribe to this FAQ page for program status updates.

Rules and regulations for recreational fishing are determined by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.The 2020 Fishing Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary is available online. 

The Grand River watershed is within Fisheries Management Zone 16, with the exception of the Grand River from Dunnville Dam to Lake Erie, which is within Fisheries Management Zone 19.

No. Trees will not be available in the fall. You may request that your current order be transferred to spring 2021, or you may wait until October 1, 2020 when our new tree availability list will be posted for spring 2021.

Reservations for tree orders are accepted annually between October 1 and the end of March.

Yes. If your property is over 5 acres and you’re interested in a large scale planting project we would be happy to add you to our waitlist for a future tree planting project. Please contact us at trees@grandriver.ca to make this request.

No. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, GRCA operations have been reduced to critical services only, and the RWQP program has been temporarily suspended. Staff are not available at this time to help you plan your project.

To be placed on a wait list to be contacted by staff to discuss your project, please submit your request to ruralwater@grandriver.ca. A staff member will contact you when the program resumes.

No. We are not accepting new applications at this time. However, you can submit your contact information and the type of project you are planning to ruralwater@grandriver.ca.

Please subscribe to this page for program status updates. A staff member will contact you when the program resumes.

Yes. Funding commitments to Rural Water Quality Program projects will be processed for all projects completed as per the terms of your approval.

If you are unable to complete your project, please contact ruralwater@grandriver.ca.

Please contact ruralwater@grandriver.ca or call 226-755-0461 to make arrangements to submit your documentation to the GRCA in order to process your payment.  

Once we have received your supporting documentation, we will process your payment. Please contact ruralwater@grandriver.ca or call 226-755-0461 to make arrangements to submit your documentation. 

As the GRCA Administration Centre is currently closed, payments may be delayed. We will work as quickly as possible to process payments and thank you for your patience.

At this time, program delivery has been suspended/postponed. A staff member will contact you when the program resumes.

No. The GRCA Administration Centre and a number of other GRCA facilities remain closed until further notice. We have reduced our operations to comply with orders put in place by our federal and provincial governments regarding essential services and physical distancing.

GRCA staff are working remotely where possible. We will continue to serve the community as best as possible over the phone, by email and through our online permit application system, however response times may be longer than usual.

The following GRCA owned and managed trails are open or have been reopened for limited use:

• Cambridge to Paris rail trail
• Brantford to Hamilton rail trail
• Elora Cataract Trailway
• SC Johnson Trail

The following GRCA owned and managed natural areas have been reopened for limited use:

• Arkell-Smith, Puslinch (Map) 
• Dumfries Conservation Area
• Guelph Lake dam to Victoria Road N (including GORBA trails), Guelph (Map)
• Puslinch Tract, Puslinch (Map)
• Snyder's Flats, Bloomingdale (Map)
• Starkey Hill, Puslinch (Map)

All other trails and natural areas that are owned and managed by the GRCA not listed above, remain closed at this time. Members of the public are not permitted on closed properties until further notice, and those who access them are trespassing.

The following GRCA owned and managed natural areas remain closed:

• Apps' Mill, Brant (Map)
• Chesney, Drumbo (Map)
• Dryden Tract, Ayr (Map)
• FWR Dickson, Ayr (Map)
• Taquanyah, Cayuga (Map)
• Woolwich Reservoir, Elmira (Map)

Members of the public are not permitted on closed properties until further notice, and those who access them are trespassing. Parking lots in these areas are also closed. Please respect the closures for the safety of our staff and the community, and follow the advice of our municipal, provincial and federal governments. We have physically closed properties and added signage where possible. To be clear, whether or not signed, unless specifically listed as reopened, these properties remain closed.

While using these trails, we ask that you:

• Share the space – Plan short visits of 1 hour or less
• Maintain physical distancing (at least 6 ft or 2.0 m)
• Keep your pet on a leash
• Leave if the trails get too crowded or you aren’t able to maintain physical distancing
• Use open trails that are close to your home if possible
• Only park in designated areas. If parking lots are full, please return at another time 

What not to do:

• Engage in any group activities
• Gather in parking lots
• Use park benches or other trailside amenities

The GRCA has been developing a plan to reopen our properties since provincial government restrictions were put in place. However, government restrictions and a reduction of our operations to critical services only have, until recently, prevented GRCA staff from conducting work to prepare and/or maintain these properties for public use.

As the government eases restrictions, staff are carrying out this work as capacity allows and in priority sequence.  

We are reopening our properties in stages. As restrictions ease, there are a number of things that must be addressed prior to reopening GRCA owned and managed trails and natural areas that are still closed to the public in order to ensure the safety of both our staff and the community.

The GRCA has a legal obligation to ensure the safety of both our staff and those who access our properties when permitted. Government restrictions and a reduction of our operations to critical services only have, until recently, prevented GRCA staff from conducting work to prepare and/or maintain these properties for public use. As the government eases restrictions, staff are carrying out this work as capacity allows and in priority sequence. GRCA staff are now inspecting and preparing many of our properties to reopen in accordance with provincial government directives where we are able, and as quickly as possible. We thank you for your patience while we undertake this important work.

Please respect all closures for the safety of our staff and the community.

At this time, we are in the process of reviewing our day camp operations for the summer of 2020. Registered campers will be notified if the status of the summer camp program changes.

If you have specific questions, please contact the nature centre your camper is registered at via email:

• Apps’ Mill Nature Centre 
• Guelph Lake Nature Centre
• Laurel Creek Nature Centre
• Shade’s Mills Nature Centre

No. All GRCA nature centres are currently closed and our school programs have been temporarily suspended. We are not confirming bookings for school classes at this time. 

You may submit your program request for the next school year via our Nature Centre Program Request form. A staff member will contact you when the program resumes. Please subscribe to this FAQ for program status updates. 

Boat launches at Belwood Lake and Conestogo Lake have been reopened for visitors to these areas. In addition, boat launches and docks have been installed and are ready for those who wish to canoe and kayak at Guelph Lake, Laurel Creek and Shade’s Mills conservation areas. Boating and fishing are now permitted on these reservoirs. Canoe and kayak rentals are not available. The reservoir at Rockwood Conservation Area remains closed and canoeing and kayaking is not permitted at this time.

The GRCA does not oversee recreational activities such as paddling or fishing on local waterways, for example, the Grand River. Rules and regulations for recreational fishing are determined by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. The 2020 Fishing Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary is available online. 

The Grand River watershed is within Fisheries Management Zone 16, with the exception of the Grand River from Dunnville Dam to Lake Erie, which is within Fisheries Management Zone 19.

People may access the rivers through access points on properties not currently closed by the GRCA, for example, through municipally-owned property, provided that they are following any laws and other restrictions in place. Please contact the appropriate municipality if you have questions about access and restrictions in place for municipal lands.

The following Grand River Parks have been reopened for limited recreational activities such as walking and birdwatching only:

• Belwood Lake Conservation Area
• Brant Conservation Area
• Byng Island Conservation Area
• Conestogo Lake Conservation Area
• Elora Gorge Conservation Area
• Guelph Lake Conservation Area
• Laurel Creek Conservation Area
• Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area
• Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area
• Rockwood Conservation Area
• Shade's Mills Conservation Area

These areas will be open between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. to those with a GRCA membership pass or paying by credit card at areas with automatic gates.

In areas where there are no automatic gates, visitors will be required to pay by cash (exact change only) in cash boxes located at the gatehouse. Standard entrance fees apply.

Elora Quarry remains closed with no set timeline for reopening.

We are reopening our parks and other properties to the public in stages. As restrictions ease, there are a number of things that must be addressed prior to reopening in order to ensure the safety of both our staff and the community, as well as meet the government’s safety guidelines.

Parks that have been reopened are available for limited recreational activities such as hiking and birdwatching. Boating and fishing are also possible at most Grand River Parks, with the exception of Rockwood Conservation Area, where canoeing and kayaking is not permitted at this time, as public safety infrastructure has not yet been installed. Canoe and kayak rentals are not available.

All buildings, on-site facilities, including washrooms, gatehouses, picnic areas, playgrounds, and beaches remain closed. In addition, no garbage receptacles will be available. Please take garbage and pet waste out with you and dispose of it at home.

These areas will be open between 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. to those with a GRCA membership pass or paying by credit card at the gate. In areas where there are no automatic gates, visitors will be required to pay by cash (exact change only) in cash boxes located at the gatehouse. Standard entrance fees apply.

Visitors to these parks must practice physical distancing and will not be permitted to gather in groups. These restrictions will be reviewed regularly and updated as necessary.

We are reopening our parks and other properties to the public in stages. As restrictions ease, there are a number of things that must be addressed prior to reopening in order to ensure the safety of both our staff and the community, as well as meet the government’s safety guidelines. 

Although it is commonly thought that land owned by the GRCA is public land, the GRCA is, in fact, a private landowner and subject to the same legal obligations as a private landowner. Grand River Parks receive no tax dollars and operate only on the funds they receive through gate access fees, camping revenue, and pay-for-use items like canoe and tubing rentals. 

Ontario’s provincial park system is operated by our provincial government, while GRCA conservation areas are owned and operated by the Grand River Conservation Authority.

Ontario Parks operated by the provincial government, receive tax dollars to provide the access and services they do to visitors. Grand River Parks receive no tax dollars and operate only on the funds they receive through gate access fees, camping revenue, and pay-for-use items like canoe and tubing rentals.

Canada’s federal park system is operated by the Government of Canada, while GRCA conservation areas are owned and operated by the Grand River Conservation Authority.

Federal parks operated by the federal government, receive tax dollars to provide the access and services they do to visitors. Grand River Parks receive no tax dollars and operate only on the funds they receive through gate access fees, camping revenue, and pay-for-use items like canoe and tubing rentals.

No. Overnight camping is not currently permitted at any of our Grand River Parks. 

It is still uncertain when the GRCA will be able to offer nightly camping in our Grand River Parks. It takes at least four weeks to prepare the parks for overnight camping. We recognize this news is disappointing; however, the health and safety of our staff and our community is our top priority. 

If you have already made a camping reservation at one of our Grand River Parks, you have two available options for a refund:

Option 1: 

Not knowing when we will be able to open for camping in 2020, the GRCA has decided to process refunds for existing reservations on a month-by-month basis.To take advantage of this option, you do not have to do anything to request a refund. On or around the first of each month in which you have a reservation, we will process the refund for you.

Using this option, there will be no cancellation fee and your reservation fee will be returned. However, please note, as the GRCA Administration Centre is currently closed and staff are working remotely where possible, refund transactions may be delayed. Refunds will be posted back to the payment card that was used to make your reservation. If a refund is not possible due to changes with your payment card, the GRCA will contact you by phone or email so we can process your cancellation.

Option 2: 

If you wish to cancel the reservation you made online and have your refund processed earlier than the first of the month in which you have a booking, you can access your reservation at www.grcacamping.ca and complete the reservation cancellation yourself. Please note that if you choose this option, you will be not be refunded the reservation fee and you will be charged the cancellation fee.

If you wish to cancel your reservation made through our call centre and have your refund processed earlier than the first of the month in which you have a booking, please leave a message at 1-877-558-4722 or send your advanced cancellation request by email to grca@grandriver.ca. Please leave your full name, daytime phone number, reservation confirmation number, and the best time during the day to reach you. As with advanced online cancellations, the reservation fee is non-refundable and you will also be charged the cancellation fee.

If you require access to your trailer stored on GRCA property, please contact the Superintendent at your park directly via email or telephone.

Please do not show up at the park to access your trailer without first speaking with your Superintendent.

Please note that membership passes are currently not available for purchase at head office or park gatehouses.

For more information about the Grand River Parks membership pass please visit our parks membership page. 

Grand River Parks membership passes sold prior to June 1, 2020 have been automatically extended for the duration of the closure of our conservation areas. 

Grand River Parks membership pass extensions for GREEN sticker numbers are as follows:

Green sticker #1: Expired

Green sticker #2 - Expires: June 1, 2020

Green sticker #3 - Expires: July 1, 2020

Green sticker #4 - Expires: August 1, 2020

Green sticker #5 - Expires: September 1, 2020

Green sticker #6 - Expires: October 1, 2020

Green sticker #7 - Expires: November 1, 2020

Green sticker #8 - Expires: December 1, 2020

Green sticker #9 - Expires: January 1, 2021

Green sticker #10 - Expires: February 1, 2021

Green sticker #11 - Expires: March 1, 2021

Green sticker #12 - Expires: April 1, 2021

Grand River Parks membership pass extensions for YELLOW sticker numbers are as follows:

Yellow sticker #1 - Expires: May 1, 2021

Yellow sticker #2 - Expires: June 1, 2021

Yellow sticker #3 - Expires: July 1, 2021