2022 YORK REGION

WATER AND WASTEWATER

MASTER PLAN
AUGUST 2022
YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | CONTENTS | AUGUST 2022 1
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We acknowledge York Region is located on the traditional territory of many Indigenous peoples
such as the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat and Métis peoples and the treaty
territories of the Haudenosaunee, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Williams Treaties
First Nations. This land is now home to many diverse Indigenous peoples. York Region is located
within the boundaries of the Nanfan Treaty, Treaty 13 and the Williams Treaties. There are also
other land claims and treaty rights involving portions of York Region that have not been resolved.
The Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation is a Williams Treaty First Nation and the closest
First Nation community to York Region.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT | AUGUST 2022 2
 Whether a long time resident or new to one of our many vibrant communities,
one thing all York Region residents can depend on is access to safe, reliable
and efficient delivery of water and wastewater services.
As a thriving Region, careful planning is done to ensure key water and
wastewater infrastructure, including pipes, sewers and water treatment
plants, can effectively meet current and future demands.
The 2022 Water and Wastewater Master Plan Update looks ahead to our
future and identifies the infrastructure and programs required to support our
projected growth to 2 million residents and nearly 1 million jobs by 2051.
This Master Plan Update builds on the 2016 plan and continues to support
greater resiliency in our water and wastewater systems by using One Water
principles to guide decision-making.
The new plan integrates water and wastewater initiatives with the Region’s
Official Plan, the Transportation Master Plan and other strategies to ensure
service excellence meets the needs of our rapidly growing Region in the most
cost-effective way.
Together, we remain steadfast in our commitment for building strong, caring
and safe communities.

YORK REGION | DRAFT

WATER WATER
AND WASTEWATER
WASTEWATER
MASTER
MASTER
PLAN
PLAN
| A|MESSAGE
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT | APRIL
FROM YORK REGION 2022 | AUGUST 2022
CHAIRMAN 3
YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | CONTENTS | AUGUST 2022 4
CONTENTS
Land Acknowledgment .......................................................................................................................................2
A Message from York Region Chairman and CEO and Members of Regional Council ........................................ 3
Executive Summary ...........................................................................................................................................9
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................13
1.1 Water and Wastewater Master Plan Purpose ..................................................................................14
1.2 York Region’s Roles in Water and Wastewater ................................................................................15
1.3 Master Plan Context and Alignment with Regional Council’s Vision...............................................16
1.4 How the Plan Update Was Carried Out ...........................................................................................17
2. General Context .........................................................................................................................................21
2.1 Current York Region Population and Economy ................................................................................22
2.2 Geography and Natural Environment .............................................................................................22
2.3 Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Resources ...........................................................................24
2.4 Indigenous Presence and Stewardship ...........................................................................................24
2.5 Indigenous Communities, Partner and Stakeholder Views..............................................................24
2.6 Regulatory and Policy Framework ...................................................................................................28
3. Overview of Water and Wastewater in York Region .................................................................................. 33
3.1 Evolution ........................................................................................................................................34
3.2 Current Systems .............................................................................................................................35
3.3 Current Programs and Initiatives Supporting Infrastructure ..........................................................41
3.4 Using the One Water Approach .......................................................................................................44
4. Outlook ........................................................................................................................................................47
4.1 Update to Growth Plan Forecasts and Expected Intensification ......................................................48
4.2 Water and Wastewater Flow Projections .........................................................................................51
4.3 Fiscal and Land Use Planning Implications ...................................................................................53
5. Options for Servicing Growth ..................................................................................................................... 55
5.1 Arriving at a Preferred Strategy For Servicing ................................................................................56
5.2 The 2016 Direction to Meet Growth Needs ......................................................................................57
5.3 Screening the Concepts .................................................................................................................58
5.4 Developing Alternative Strategies to Address Water and Wastewater Servicing Needs...................60
5.5 Evaluating Alternative Strategies ..................................................................................................64

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | CONTENTS | AUGUST 2022 5
CONTENTS
6. The Infrastructure Plan ..............................................................................................................................70
6.1 Regional Projects to Address Region-wide Servicing Needs ...........................................................81
6.2 Cities of Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan ............................................................................82
6.3 Township of King ............................................................................................................................83
6.4 Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville ......................................................................................................83
6.5 Towns of Aurora, East Gwillimbury and Newmarket ........................................................................84
6.6 Town of Georgina ............................................................................................................................85
6.7 Updated Cost Estimates ................................................................................................................86
7. Implementing the Plan ...............................................................................................................................87
7.1 Delivering Infrastructure Projects ..................................................................................................88
Budget and Capital Plan ...............................................................................................................88
Environmental Assessments ..........................................................................................................88
Long-term Financial Sustainability................................................................................................89
Monitoring and Adapting ...............................................................................................................94
7.2 Achieving a Sustainable Water Future............................................................................................97
Demand Management....................................................................................................................98
Climate Change Actions ..............................................................................................................100
Water Equity and Liveability ........................................................................................................104
Measuring Success ......................................................................................................................107
8. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................109

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | CONTENTS | AUGUST 2022 6
CONTENTS
Appendices
Appendix A - Infrastructure
A.1 Natural Environmental Features
A.2 Baseline Regional Water and Wastewater Systems
A.3 Design Criteria
A.4 Water and Wastewater Flows Forecasts
A.5 Detailed Alternative Servicing Strategies Evaluation
A.6 Infrastructure Costing Methodology
A.7 Additional Servicing Considerations
A.8 Primary System Master Plan Requirements

Appendix B - Consultation Summary

B.1 Consultation and Engagement Summary Report
B.2 Notice of Study Commencement
B.3 Open House 1
B.4 Open House 2
B.5 Open House 3
B.6 Government, Agencies and Associations Consultation and Engagement
B.7 Indigenous Communities Consultation and Engagement
B.8 Notice of Study Completion
B.9 30-Day Public Review
Appendix C - Demand Management Programs
C.1 2021 Long-Term Water Conservation Strategy Update
C.2 2021 Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Strategy Update

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | CONTENTS | AUGUST 2022 7
CONTENTS
Figures
Figure E.1 Population and Employment Growth Forecast in York Region Through the Provincial Growth Plan....... 10
Figure E.2 Growth-related Capital Infrastructure Costs ........................................................................................... 11
Figure 1.1 Regional and Local Water and Wastewater Service Delivery in York Region ...................................... 15
Figure 1.2 Regional Strategies and Plans Shaping the Water and Wastewater Master Plan................................... 16
Figure 1.3 York Region’s Accountability Framework ................................................................................................. 16
Figure 1.4 Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Process ............................................................................. 18
Figure 1.5 Consultation and Engagement Milestones............................................................................................... 20
Figure 2.1 York Region and Local Cities and Towns....................................................................................... 23
Figure 3.1 York Region Servicing History.................................................................................................................... 34
Figure 3.2 York Region Water Systems and Sources of Supply in 2021.................................................................... 36
Figure 3.3 York Region’s Baseline Water Infrastructure Systems in 2021 ............................................................... 37
Figure 3.4 Regional Wastewater Systems in 2021 ................................................................................................... 39
Figure 3.5 York Region’s Baseline Wastewater Infrastructure Systems in 2021...................................................... 40
Figure 3.6 Predicted Climate Trends for York Region by 2050................................................................................... 42
Figure 3.7 Examples of Mitigation and Adaptation Actions...................................................................................... 43
Figure 3.8 One Water Guiding Principles....................................................................................................... 44
Figure 4.1 Population and Employment Growth Forecast in York Region through the Provincial Growth Plan........ 48
Figure 4.2 Where New Population and Employment will go by 2051 ........................................................................ 50
Figure 4.3 Forecast Annual Regional Water Demand to 2051 .................................................................................. 51
Figure 5.1 Identifying a Preferred Strategy................................................................................................................ 56
Figure 5.2 Strategy 1: York Water System with Northern Connection........................................................................ 61
Figure 5.3 Strategy 2: York Water System without Northern Connection................................................................... 62
Figure 5.4 Preferred Strategy for Water Servicing: York Water System with Northern Connection............................ 67
Figure 5.5 Preferred Strategy for Wastewater Servicing............................................................................................ 68
Figure 6.1 Long-term Water Infrastructure Plan........................................................................................................ 79
Figure 6.2 Long-term Wastewater Infrastructure Plan.............................................................................................. 80
Figure 7.1 Total Cost of Servicing............................................................................................................................... 89
Figure 7.2 Estimated Costs to Acquire Growth-related Infrastructure...................................................................... 90
Figure 7.3 Operating Cost of Water and Wastewater Systems.................................................................................. 92
Figure 7.4 Estimated Cost of Renewal for Water and Wastewater Assets Over the Next 100 Years ....................... 93
Figure 7.5 Integrated Approach to Water and Wastewater Service Delivery............................................................. 95
Figure 7.6 Climate Risks to Regional Water and Wastewater Infrastructure ......................................................... 102

Tables
Table 4.1 Distribution of Population and Employment in York Region to 2051............................................... 49
Table 4.2 Residential and Employment Water Consumption Design Rates to 2051....................................... 52
Table 5.1 Screening of Water and Wastewater Servicing Concepts................................................................ 59
Table 5.2 Results of Evaluating Two Alternative Water Servicing Strategies.................................................. 65
Table 6.1 Growth-related Water and Wastewater Projects ............................................................................. 72
Table 6.2 Summary of Master Plan Expenditures for Growth Capital Projects ($000’s) to 2051.................... 86

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | CONTENTS | AUGUST 2022 8
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | AUGUST 2022 9
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Executive Summary
The Regional Municipality of York’s Water and Wastewater Master Plan is a key document that details how
the Region will provide safe, reliable services to new growth over the long term. It evaluates infrastructure
systems in a broad land-use and environmental context and describes, at a high level, the projects needed
to supply drinking water and manage wastewater in future.
The Master Plan is updated periodically to reflect changing conditions and new information. This update to
the 2016 Master Plan followed a process prescribed by the Municipal Engineers Association Municipal Class
Environmental Assessment, an approved process under the provincial Environmental Assessment Act.
It was undertaken in conjunction with a Municipal Comprehensive Review carried out by the Region that incor-
porated a new provincial growth forecast into the Regional Official Plan, and with an update to the Transpor-
tation Master Plan. This process included extensive consultation and engagement with partners
and stakeholders.
While reflecting the new growth forecast to 2051 (shown in Figure E.1 below), this update concludes that the
overall direction of the 2016 Water and Wastewater Master Plan remains valid. The update also recognizes
how the One Water concept, first described in the 2016 Master Plan, is being more fully incorporated into
master planning. One Water helps achieve a sustainable water future by recognizing that water is a finite
resource and finding ways to preserve its value in all settings.

Figure E.1 Population and Employment Growth Forecast in York Region Through the Provincial Growth Plan

The preferred strategy set out in 2016 and validated through this update is for future growth in the Region to
be serviced largely by leveraging and expanding existing water and wastewater systems. Through existing
intermunicipal agreements, most drinking water would continue to come from Lake Ontario, and treated
wastewater would mostly be returned to that watershed.
Groundwater will continue to round out our supply in the central area, with Lake Simcoe supplying the
northern end of the Region. Communities currently serviced by stand-alone water and wastewater systems
will continue to be serviced by those systems, except for Kleinburg in the City of Vaughan which will
eventually be connected to the York Durham Sewage System.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | AUGUST 2022 10
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The York Durham Sewage System and Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant in Pickering (co-owned with
Durham Region) will be upgraded and expanded, with a new York Region-owned Water Reclamation Centre
to be established (pending outstanding provincial approvals) in the Lake Simcoe watershed.
The estimated cost to implement the water and wastewater infrastructure projects in this updated Master Plan
is $4.5 billion, comprising $1.0 billion for water and $3.5 billion for wastewater. These growth projects and
costs will feed into the Region’s Development Charges Bylaw as it is updated in 2022. Figure E.2 below
shows the planned capital expenditures over the 30-year planning horizon.

Figure E.2 Growth-related Capital Infrastructure Costs

Ongoing programs to manage demand through water conservation and inflow and infiltration reduction are
integral to the infrastructure strategy to ensure we can meet increased demand cost-effectively with a con-
tinued decline in per-capita water use. This demand management approach is in line with our One Water
principles, which are reflected in programs and plans to address climate change and enhance water equity
and livability. Water equity ensures that all residents and businesses have access to clean, safe and affordable
water services while maximizing community benefits and fostering resilience in the face of a changing climate.
This updated Master Plan meets all applicable regulatory requirements, including a limit on water transfers
between the Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe/Lake Huron watersheds under a bi-national Great Lakes agree-
ment. It also accords with overarching goals and objectives set out in the Region’s Vision, Strategic Plan and
other corporate and departmental plans. To ensure financial sustainability and in line with principles endorsed
by York Regional Council, this Master Plan will better leverage existing infrastructure systems and more tightly
align pacing of new capital projects with actual growth.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | AUGUST 2022 11
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

As this update was finalized, the Region continued to await provincial approval of the Water Reclamation
Centre needed to add wastewater capacity in the north. An Individual Environmental Assessment for this
project was completed and submitted to the province in mid-2014. Given the rigorous study completed for the
Water Reclamation Centre and the time and money invested to date, this project continues to be considered
an essential part of the preferred servicing strategy for Aurora, East Gwillimbury and Newmarket.
With completion of this update, the preferred strategy and associated infrastructure plan are carried out
through projects funded through the ten-year capital plan. Budgets for specific infrastructure projects are
updated as necessary through the Region’s annual budget. Over time, the Environmental Services capital
plan responds to such factors as new financial constraints, delays or scope changes in project delivery, market
constraints and actual growth that differs from forecast.
All forecasts and outlooks are inherently uncertain, and this uncertainty increases as the time horizon extends
further into the future. A range of programs, plans, analyses and activities allow for adaptation to changing
conditions as plans are implemented in the coming years. Nonetheless, there are limits on the Region’s ability
to accommodate unexpected circumstances. This underscores the need to seek the right balance – between
costs, growth patterns, environmental preservation, and the needs of existing customers – as the Region acts
to implement the Master Plan.

INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
• $4.5 Billion of infrastructure
to service growth over the
next 30 years

SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

WATER AND • Reliance on demand management
WASTEWATER programs to manage flows and
influence available capacity
MASTER PLAN • Financially sustainable solutions
• Enhance community benefits

CONTINUED MONITORING
• Actual growth and available capacity
• Implementation of infrastructure
though the capital plan
• Progress of demand
management programs
• One Water approach

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | AUGUST 2022 12
1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN PURPOSE

1.2 YORK REGION’S ROLES IN WATER AND WASTEWATER
1.3 MASTER PLAN CONTEXT AND ALIGNMENT WITH REGIONAL COUNCIL’S VISION
1.4 HOW THE PLAN UPDATE WAS CARRIED OUT

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 1.0 INTRODUCTION | AUGUST 2022 13
1.1 WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN PURPOSE
1.1 WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN PURPOSE
The Regional Municipality of York’s Water and Wastewater Master Plan sets out an approach to meet the
needs of the Region’s growth. To reflect changing conditions and new information, the plan is updated period-
ically, generally on a five-year cycle. This update reflects revised growth forecasts identified in A Place to Grow:
Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and incorporated in the Regional Official Plan.
Since creation of the Region’s first master plans in the 1990s, a key purpose has been to ensure the infrastructure
serving new growth is cost effective and resilient. The most recent update in 2016 added a new purpose to the
plan: to develop an integrated, long-term strategy for sustainable water and wastewater services. This speaks
to the need to focus on environmental, social, and financial sustainability beyond the five-year time horizon.

MASTER PLAN OBJECTIVES:

1. D
 evelop a cost-effective, resilient water and wastewater infrastructure plan to service
future growth to 2051 and beyond.
2. Develop an integrated, long-term approach to provide sustainable water and
wastewater services.

The Water and Wastewater Master Plan informs updates to York Region’s Development Charges
Bylaw by detailing funding the Region will need to collect in development charges to recover
capital investments made in growth-driven capital projects.

THE PROBLEM STATEMENT FOR THIS MASTER PLAN UPDATE IS DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
“Building on previous Master Plan recommendations, York Region is updating its long-term
water and wastewater servicing strategies and infrastructure program to accommodate
2.02 million people and 990,000 jobs by 2051 in accordance with the Regional Official Plan in
an environmentally, socially and fiscally responsible manner.”

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 1.0 INTRODUCTION | AUGUST 2022 14
1.2 YORK REGION’S ROLES IN WATER AND WASTEWATER
1.2 YORK REGION’S ROLES IN WATER AND WASTEWATER
York Region is a wholesale provider of drinking water, responsible for water production, treatment, storage
and bulk supply to its cities and town. Regional transmission mains transfer water to infrastructure owned and
operated by the local cities and towns, which in turn distribute it directly to end users.
Similarly, York Region acts as a wholesale provider of wastewater services, collecting wastewater from local mu-
nicipal sewers and conveying it through a network of trunk sewers and pumping stations to treatment plants.
York Region and its cities and towns share responsibility for water and wastewater systems and services,
as shown in Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1 Regional and Local Water and Wastewater Service Delivery in York Region

York Region works with its nine local municipal partners to coordinate timely service delivery in the short and
long term, guided by policies within the Regional Official Plan, and in consultation with conservation authorities
on such issues as source water protection.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 1.0 INTRODUCTION | AUGUST 2022 15
1.3 MASTER PLAN CONTEXT AND ALIGNMENT WITH
REGIONAL COUNCIL’S VISION
1.3 MASTER PLAN CONTEXT AND ALIGNMENT WITH REGIONAL COUNCIL’S VISION
The Water and Wastewater Master Plan is developed in the context of Regional strategies and plans.
As outlined in the diagram below, the Master Plan is a corporate plan providing the key functions
of water and wastewater service planning and implementation to 2051:

Figure 1.2 Regional Strategies and Plans Shaping the Vision guides York Regional Council and
Water and Wastewater Master Plan staff decisions towards achieving “Strong,
Caring, Safe Communities.” York Region’s
Vision, Strategic Plan, Multi-Year Budget,
Departmental Plans and Individual Perfor-
mance Plans adhere to the Accountability
Framework (Figure 1.3) to achieve our com-
mitments to Council for our communities.
Departmental planning is key to aligning
departmental priorities with the Strategic
Plan, Multi-Year Budget and, ultimately, the
Vision. Departmental Plans are informed by
and support: the Regional Official Plan, Mas-
ter Plans, Council direction, provincial and
federal mandates and/or other regulatory/
legislative requirements.

Figure 1.3 York Region’s Accountability Framework

Master Plans for infrastructure are coordinat-

ed with updates to the Regional Official Plan
in a process known as a Municipal Compre-
hensive Review. This helps ensure consistent
communication with interested parties and
better integration of all plans to manage
costs. The Regional Official Plan outlines pol-
icies to guide growth and economic, environ-
mental and community planning decisions.
The Master Plan works in concert with the
Regional Official Plan to ensure that servicing
can be provided to meet growth demands in
the Region.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 1.0 INTRODUCTION | AUGUST 2022 16
1.4 HOW THE PLAN UPDATE WAS CARRIED OUT
The Strategic Plan, updated every four years, is a roadmap emphasizing priorities over each term of York
Regional Council. In 2019, Regional Council adopted the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan. Specific goals and
objectives influencing water and wastewater master planning include:
Support safe communities by ensuring water meets all relevant standards
Build sustainable communities and protect the environment by delivering and promoting
environmentally sustainable services
Deliver trusted and efficient services by ensuring reliable, responsive, effective, efficient and fiscally
responsible service delivery while managing the Region’s assets for current and future generations
These goals and objectives are reflected in this plan through its attention to ensuring delivery of high-quality
drinking water and wastewater services using safe, reliable infrastructure that minimizes impacts on the envi-
ronment and is financially sustainable.
The Regional Fiscal Strategy helps to achieve long-term financial sustainability through carefully managing
the Region’s capital plan, reserves and debt. Its influence on infrastructure planning is described in Section
4.3. The fiscal strategy also affects the Region’s annual budget, which includes a 10-year capital plan that is
updated each year.
Other Regional plans play a role in how the Water and Wastewater Master Plan is implemented. These include
asset management plans, demand management strategies and climate change plans, discussed in Section 3.3.
Of particular importance is the Region’s adoption of a One Water approach to managing water resources.
One Water leverages the natural water cycle to make the best use of every source of water, including water
that has passed through municipal systems. It also helps minimize the use of other inputs, including energy,
to mitigate climate change impacts.

1.4 HOW THE PLAN UPDATE WAS CARRIED OUT

Over time, the Region’s master planning process has matured, leading each update to become more stream-
lined. Building out York Region communities and infrastructure systems focuses increasingly on carefully
integrating new components into water and wastewater systems already in place to derive the greatest value
possible from both existing and new investments.

The Master Plan Process

This Water and Wastewater Master Plan update, like previous ones, followed guidance of the Municipal
Engineers Association on infrastructure master planning set out in its Municipal Class Environmental
Assessment document.
Master plans are defined as “long range plans which integrate infrastructure requirements for existing and
future land use with environmental assessment planning principles.” In other words, a master plan looks
at one or more infrastructure systems or groups of related projects in a broad land use and environmental
context. This results in a high-level plan that identifies and justifies the need for future individual projects. At the
master plan stage, however, projects are conceptual in nature. Details of specific solutions – including location,
final size and choice of technology – are evaluated in the local context and defined as specific projects are carried
out through the municipal class environmental assessment process, described further in this section.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 1.0 INTRODUCTION | AUGUST 2022 17
1.4 HOW THE PLAN UPDATE WAS CARRIED OUT
Depending on the nature and complexity of an individual project, it may be subject to further review under
the provincial Environmental Assessment Act, as discussed in Section 2.6. The Act provides for a municipal class
environmental assessment for municipal projects that are similar in nature, are carried out routinely, have a
predictable range of environmental effects, and respond to mitigating measures. Most infrastructure projects
undertaken by the Region fall within the framework for municipal class environmental assessments.
The Act also provides for a comprehensive environmental assessment process, less frequently used, that
applies to large, complex projects with the potential for significant environmental effects. This is referred
to as a full or individual environmental assessment.
Figure 1.4 outlines the municipal class environmental assessment process and requirements for each
phase. The number of phases to be completed for a particular project depends on the nature of the
project. The Municipal Engineers Association requires that a master plan follow, at a minimum, the
first two phases of the process. This update to the Master Plan followed phases 1 and 2.

Figure 1.4 Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Process

Note: The Region uses the terms “Alternative Strategies” and “Preferred Strategy” to describe what the Municipal
Engineers Association process calls “Alternative Solutions” and “Preferred Solution”

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 1.0 INTRODUCTION | AUGUST 2022 18
1.4 HOW THE PLAN UPDATE WAS CARRIED OUT
Use of Approach 1 in Preparing the Master Plan
Different approaches can be used to develop a master plan. York Region followed Approach 1 set out in Ap-
pendix 4 of the current Municipal Engineers Association Municipal Class Environmental Assessment document.
As part of Approach 1, the Master Plan identifies how each individual project is expected to proceed through
the environmental assessment process. In some cases, this will involve following phases 3, 4 and/or 5 as
shown in Figure 1.4. Schedule B and C projects will undergo project-specific environmental assessments to ful-
fil the municipal class environmental assessment consultation and documentation requirements. All schedule
B projects will require filing of the Project File Report for public review. All Schedule C projects will fulfil phases
3 and 4 of the Class Environmental Assessment process prior to filing an Environmental Study Report for public
review. This is discussed in more detail in Section 7.1 on implementation.
By providing the rationale for all projects, the Master Plan fulfills the first two phases of the municipal class
environmental assessment process and supports any future environmental assessments that may be needed.

Consultation and Engagement Were Key

Consultation and engagement throughout development of a master plan, supported by frequent and timely
communication, are key requirements of the master planning process. With this Master Plan update, engagement
occurred through various mechanisms, including one-on-one meetings, correspondence and public open houses.
After the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in early 2020, face-to-face activities moved to virtual platforms.
Three public open houses held over the course of the update provided a chance for residents and others
to learn more about the Master Plan update and the Region’s water and wastewater services. The first
was delivered in person in fall of 2019 and drew 165 attendees. The second and third took place virtually
due to pandemic restrictions: the second in winter 2021 with 83 participants and the third in summer
2021 with 108 participants.
Outreach included notice of open houses through newspaper advertisements as well as group emails
and social media. Throughout the process, the Region maintained a dedicated web page on its website
(york.ca/waterplan) providing up-to-date information, including open house materials.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 1.0 INTRODUCTION | AUGUST 2022 19
1.4 HOW THE PLAN UPDATE WAS CARRIED OUT
Consultation and engagement took place through three phases over the course of updating the Master Plan:

Figure 1.5 Consultation and Engagement Milestones

2019 EARLY 2021 MID-2021

1. DISCOVER 2. EXPLORE 3. REVEAL

Opportunity Identification of Preferred

Statement Servicing Strategies Solution

An opportunity to learn about An opportunity to review An opportunity to learn about

the master plan process and and provide feedback on the preferred solution.
current water and wastewater servicing strategies.
services and programs.

Those identified as having an interest in the Master Plan update were notified of opportunities to give feed-
back at each milestone in Figure 1.5. The process was designed to ensure feedback was taken into consid-
eration. More information on the consultation approach and those identified as having an interest can be
found in Appendix B.1. Section 2.5 provides a summary of Indigenous communities, partner and stakeholder
views, and Appendix B sub-volumes provide notices used to communicate the Master Plan update along with
detailed feedback gathered through the open houses.
In the balance of this update:
Section 2 outlines the general context for master planning, including factors specific to the
Region as well as the regulatory framework that applies to water and wastewater
Section 3 provides an overview of the existing Regional systems
Section 4 discusses the planning outlook, including forecasts of population and water use,
for the period covered by this update
Section 5 explains how the preferred servicing strategy was selected
Section 6 outlines related infrastructure needs and costs
Section 7 outlines implementation, detailed costs and monitoring

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 1.0 INTRODUCTION | AUGUST 2022 20
2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT

2.1 CURRENT YORK REGION POPULATION AND ECONOMY

2.2 GEOGRAPHY AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
2.3 CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES
2.4 INDIGENOUS PRESENCE AND STEWARDSHIP
2.5 INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, PARTNER AND STAKEHOLDER VIEWS
2.6 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 21
2.1 CURRENT YORK REGION POPULATION AND ECONOMY
2.1 CURRENT YORK REGION POPULATION AND ECONOMY
Established in 1971, York Region consists of nine local municipalities: the cities of Markham, Richmond Hill
and Vaughan; the towns of Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Newmarket and Whitchurch-Stouffville and
the Township of King.
Its central location directly north of the City of Toronto in the Greater Toronto Area has helped to make the
Region one of the fastest-growing and large municipalities in Ontario. At the time of its creation, it had just
under 200,000 residents and 50,000 jobs. Over the past 50 years, it has grown more than seven-fold to
1.2 million people and 600,000 jobs in more than 54,000 business establishments across several
industries. It has also become one of Canada’s most diverse communities.

2.2 GEOGRAPHY AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

York Region extends roughly 60 kilometres north from its border with Toronto at Steeles Avenue to the south
shore of Lake Simcoe and is approximately 40 kilometres wide. In total, it covers 1,776 square kilometres.
Two geographical features have had a major influence on how the Region delivers drinking water and
manages wastewater:
It is the only municipality of its size in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area that lacks direct
access to Lake Ontario
It is divided by the Oak Ridges Moraine, so that its northern half is in the Lake Simcoe/Lake Huron
watershed and its southern half is in the Lake Ontario watershed, with the dividing line shown
in Figure 2.1
Lack of direct access to Lake Ontario has required the Region to form strong water partnerships with the
neighbouring Region of Peel and City of Toronto, which provide drinking water from Lake Ontario that togeth-
er meet 90% of the needs of York Region’s residents. Likewise, the Region has partnered with Durham Region
and Region of Peel to return wastewater for treatment and return to Lake Ontario. Combined with the local
municipal responsibility for serving customers, this has shaped York Region systems that are dominated by
large pipes, storage and treatment facilities and pumping stations.
The second geographical feature — the watershed boundary — is important in light of a bi-national
agreement limiting movement of water from one Great Lakes watershed to another. This is discussed
in Section 2.6 which summarizes the regulatory framework.
Protection of natural features is a priority for the Region in planning and constructing water and
wastewater projects. Figure 2.1 shows the nine cities and towns that make up York Region, along
with general land designations.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 22
2.2 GEOGRAPHY AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Figure 2.1 York Region and Local Cities and Towns

Future Urban Area*

Oak Ridges Moraine LAKE SIMCOE

Greenbelt Plan Area Fox
Urban Area* Island Georgina
Towns and Villages* Snake Island
Area within ORMCP conditional upon Island
amendments to Ontario Regulation 140/02**

Watershed Boundary
Sutton
Road
48
Highway
Municipal Boundary Pefferlaw
Regional Boundary

*This reflects the Draft 2022 Regional Official Plan, Town of

currently under review through the Municipal
Comprehensive Review and is subject to change Georgina
based on Regional Official Plan approval.
Keswick
**Urban designations are conditional upon
amendments to the ORM designations

Town of
East
Gwillimbury

Mount
Albert

Simcoe County Town

9

Schomberg of Town of
Newmarket Whitchurch-
Township 404
Stouffville 48

of King 400
Town of
Ballantrae
Aurora

Nobleton King City

Stouffville

Kleinburg
City of
City of Richmond City of
Vaughan Hill Markham
Peel Region

Durham Region

427
407
0 2 4 6 8Km
City of Toronto

¯
LAKE ONTARIO
O:\Solid_Waste\Projects\2021\20210411_MPlan\Tools\January\Local.mxd

Appendix A.1 provides maps of natural environmental features in York Region.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 23
2.3 CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES
2.3 CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES
Archaeological resources in York Region include sites that may contain artifacts, remains of structures, cultural
deposits or subsurface strata of human origin.
Physical remains of cultural heritage can be extremely fragile. Policies in the Regional Official Plan commit
York Region to responsible archaeological management, and its Regional Archaeological Management Plan
outlines the process for archaeological assessments.
Project-specific environmental assessments will include detailed assessment of archaeological and cultural
heritage features and the project’s potential impacts and, where applicable, mitigation measures.

2.4 INDIGENOUS PRESENCE AND STEWARDSHIP

The cultural history of what is now York Region began with the arrival of hunting bands in the area roughly
11,000 years ago. Water was central to the lives of these Indigenous peoples: it provided their drinking water,
fishing resources and major transportation routes. To this day, many Indigenous people who live in the area
continue traditional water-related practices and activities.
For Indigenous peoples, water is viewed as more than just a valuable resource, and is recognized as a sacred
gift, the lifeblood of the Earth that connects all living things. In many Indigenous communities, women are rec-
ognized as the keepers of the waters, who teach the importance of responsible stewardship of land and water.
The next section summarizes engagement with Indigenous communities and how their feedback was considered.

2.5 INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, PARTNER AND STAKEHOLDER VIEWS

The Region relies on a range of partners and interested parties to meet residents’ service needs. The
Region kept the following groups informed of the progress of the update and sought their feedback.
The points below summarize their interests and most frequently raised topics and explain how
York Region considered the feedback:

Indigenous Communities
Engagement with Indigenous communities was coordinated with the Municipal Comprehensive Review and
Transportation Master Plan update. The Region coordinated engagement individually based on their interest,
capacity, and availability as there is currently no provincially approved framework for engaging with Indige-
nous communities. A consultant and Indigenous facilitator supported all engagement activities. The opportu-
nity to engage with and learn from Indigenous communities was valuable, as their unique historic and cultural
relationship to the land and water gives rise to important perspectives on how to manage the natural environ-
ment and water resources. The Region looks forward to continuing these conversations.
Feedback was received from several Indigenous communities and is summarized below.
Indigenous communities encourage York Region to develop lasting, long-term relationships;
this would provide a more proactive approach to involve communities in projects and initiatives
at the outset allowing time for meaningful engagement and input

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 24
2.5  INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, PARTNER AND
STAKEHOLDER VIEWS

impacts arising from growth that may affect traditional Indigenous ways of life:

York Region acknowledges the relationship Indigenous communities have with the natural environment and
acknowledges the central importance of water in the culture and lives of Indigenous people. York Region is
committed to sustainable management and use of water and protection of the natural environment not only
in the present, but also over the long term for future generations by:
Sharing the importance of water and continued need for conservation and
stewardship within its communities
Continuing to deliver high quality water and wastewater services
Implementation of projects identified in the Master Plan will recognize the archaeological importance of
the lands in York Region to Indigenous communities and will follow applicable regulatory requirements
to consult and engage communities with Aboriginal or treaty rights.

Indigenous Communities
Indigenous communities in the Water and Wastewater Master Plan refers to First Nations (as recognized under the
Indian Act) as well as Indigenous peoples including urban Indigenous who live throughout York Region and are not
officially recognized under the Indian Act. This inclusive approach reflects a range of Indigenous peoples that have
historical interests and/or treaty rights or live in York Region. View the treat map.

Local Cities and Towns

Local cities and towns are partners in delivering water and wastewater services, using infrastructure systems
linked to the Region’s systems, and face many of the same planning and operating complexities. Their
feedback continues to help understand local concerns and provides opportunities to strengthen working
partnerships. As the Region and local municipalities are jointly responsible for ensuring infrastructure to
accommodate growth will be in place, coordinating local master plans with the Region’s supports more
integrated infrastructure planning. This is is an important consideration in delivering needed capacity.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 25
2.5  INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, PARTNER AND
STAKEHOLDER VIEWS

delivery and planning; in light of near-term wastewater capacity constraints due to delays in
provincial approval of Upper York Sewage Solutions (discussed in more detail in Section 2.6),
local municipalities were interested in exploring innovative interim servicing solutions with
the Region so that development can continue

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 26
2.5  INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, PARTNER AND
STAKEHOLDER VIEWS
Land Developers
The building and land development industry plans and constructs homes, offices and commercial/industrial
buildings that accommodate growth across the Region and must connect to water and wastewater services.
Engagement with the York chapter of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), which
represents larger developers in the Greater Toronto Area, was coordinated with the Municipal Comprehensive
Review and update to the Transportation Master Plan; land developers who are not BILD members were able
to provide input through public open houses.
The industry is concerned about future system capacity and timing and growth-related costs, which
are recovered through development charges on new construction; like local municipalities, they ex-
pressed frustration in the protracted provincial approval process for infrastructure solutions to deal
with servicing constraints in the towns of Aurora and Newmarket and the communities of Holland
Landing, Queensville and Sharon in the Town of East Gwillimbury

Residents and Businesses

Residents and businesses are the ultimate customers of Regional and local municipal water and
wastewater services.
Many of their comments focused on environmental and long-term supply and water quality
concerns, which York Region considered in assessing strategies to service growth; water quality,
quantity and access are also discussed in Section 7.2 as elements of water equity and livability
Another area of interest was availability and timing of water and/or wastewater services for a
specific community or future employment area; this Master Plan addresses broad-based and Re-
gion-wide needs; local municipalities provide service to individual customers, with growth-related
projects for their communities generally identified in their secondary plan or servicing master plan

Provincial Ministries and Agencies

As required by the municipal class environmental assessment master plan process, the provincial Ministry
of the Environment, Conservation and Parks was kept informed at key milestones. The Ministry of Heritage,
Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries was also notified because of its role in heritage preservation, as were
other provincial ministries and agencies.
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks provided feedback on the draft report that
highlighted guidance and consideration of requirements (including source protection) for future
implementation of proposed projects identified in the Master Plan
Despite a variety of perspectives, every group or organization has a role in the sustainability of water and
wastewater infrastructure — and in managing water resources as a whole — because of the central impor-
tance of water in day-to-day living. In that light, participants were very interested in our One Water approach
and saw it as a positive step towards sustainability at a range of scales.
Feedback collected through consultation and engagement was considered as input to the Master Plan and ongo-
ing water and wastewater programs and initiatives. Details can be found in Appendix B and its sub-volumes.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 27
2.6 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK
2.6 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK
Important considerations in planning water and wastewater systems include laws and plans protecting the
natural environment and sensitive geographical areas, policies around growth, and guidance around selection,
design, and operation of infrastructure.
The following sections cite and describe relevant regulatory and policy considerations. This update to the
Water and Wastewater Master Plan has been drafted for consistency with these requirements.

Places to Grow Act, 2005

The provincial Places to Grow Act, 2005, gives the Ontario government the power to designate growth areas
throughout the province and develop related growth plans.
York Region is part of the Greater Golden Horseshoe, an area of some 10,000 square kilometres in south-cen-
tral Ontario that is one of the fastest-growing areas in North America. A Place to Grow, the current growth
plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, provides population and employment forecasts out to 2051.
The plan’s policies guide infrastructure planning and investment decisions to accommodate population and
employment growth. Key content of relevance to the Water and Wastewater Master Plan is summarized below:
Policy 3.2.1 requires planning for new or expanded infrastructure to be integrated with long-range
land use planning scenarios, as well as environmental and financial plans, supported by relevant
studies; infrastructure planning should help achieve minimum intensification and density targets in
the plan and aim to provide enough infrastructure in strategic growth areas
Policy 3.2.6, which guides planning of water and wastewater systems, makes optimization and
improved efficiency within existing systems priorities; water and wastewater plans should be
supported by strategies for energy and water conservation and water demand management and be
informed by watershed planning
Policy 4.2.9 requires that municipalities develop and implement strategies in support of water
conservation, including objectives around demand management and maximizing reuse and
recycling of water
Other sections of the plan reiterate existing policies and legislative requirements
as set out below.

Provincial Policy Statement, 2020

The 2020 Provincial Policy Statement, issued under the provincial Planning Act,
provides policy direction on matters of provincial interest related to land use planning
and development. As a key part of Ontario’s planning system, the statement sets the
policy foundation for regulating the development and use of land. Municipal official
plans and planning decisions must be consistent with policies of the Provincial
Policy Statement.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 28
2.6 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK
York Region Wastewater Act, 2021
In 2014, the Region completed an individual environmental assessment for the proposed Upper York Sewage
Solutions initiative. This project would accommodate growth in the towns of Aurora, East Gwillimbury and
Newmarket through three main components: a Water Reclamation Centre near the East Holland River in the Lake
Simcoe/Lake Huron watershed, a phosphorus offset reduction program and a twinned forcemain (pumped sewer
pipe) from the Town of Newmarket to the Town of Aurora. The 2016 Water and Wastewater Master Plan identi-
fied Upper York Sewage Solutions as part of its preferred servicing strategy. To date, the provincial government
has allowed the forcemain twinning to go ahead but has not rendered a decision on the other components.
In October 2021, the provincial government enacted the York Region Wastewater Act, 2021. This legislation
puts an indefinite hold on any decision by the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks on the Up-
per York Sewage Solutions environmental assessment, prevents any further action being taken by York Region
to advance this project and seeks to limit the province’s liability for taking these steps. The province has also
appointed the York Region Wastewater Advisory Panel to provide confidential advice on options to address
wastewater servicing capacity needs in the upper parts of York Region.
Given the work and expense already completed in the environmental assessment and other preparation, and
the pressing need to meet provincial deadlines for updating the Development Charges Bylaw, the Region will
continue to plan for the Upper York Sewage Solutions initiative until it is directed otherwise.

Environmental Assessment Act

As Section 1.4 noted, the Master Plan update identifies a high-level preferred strategy to be implemented
through specific projects over the next 30 years. These may be subject to different requirements under the provin-
cial Environmental Assessment Act, depending on their nature and scope. Section 7.1 provides more details.
While the Master Plan update was being carried out, the province announced changes to the Environmental
Assessment Act with the goal of modernization. The Region has experienced long delays in getting approvals
for key projects, including not just the Upper York Sewage Solutions initiative, but also expansion of the Duffin
Creek Water Pollution Control Plant on Lake Ontario, including the most recent outfall capacity expansion,
which created uncertainty and added costs. York Region has advocated strongly for changes that allow critical
infrastructure to be planned and delivered in a predictable manner while protecting the natural environment.
York Region staff are hopeful the Province of Ontario’s Environmental Assessment modernization approach
will speed-up approvals and contribute to post-pandemic economic recovery. The Region advocated for the
following changes in the Environmental Assessment Act to provide better process certainty and reduce costs:
Exempting low risk projects from the environmental assessment process
Driving more predictable timelines through defined, time-based processes similar
to process for transit projects
Creating a new ‘growth related infrastructure project’ designation that is exempt
from Ministerial bump-ups
Enhanced approaches to Indigenous and public engagement

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 29
2.6 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK
Changes to the Act are intended to streamline the environmental assessment process for most projects and
will result in changes to the approvals process to be followed for Regional projects. Regulations to implement
new environmental assessment processes are currently under development by the province, which will outline
the process to be followed for future Regional projects, including those listed in Section 6. The Master Plan has
been structured to adapt to this regulatory change when it occurs.

Great Lakes Agreements

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement between Ontario, Quebec
and the Great Lakes states in the United States governs the transfer of water between Great Lakes water-
sheds. A transfer occurs any time water is taken from one watershed and moved into another and requires
unanimous approval from all signatories to the agreement. Regulations under the provincial Ontario Water
Resources Act support limitations and requirements imposed on transfers set out under these agreements.
In 2010, after gaining approval from all Great Lakes states and provinces, York Region was granted an in-
tra-basin transfer authorizing a transfer of up to 105 million litres of water a day from the Lake Ontario wa-
tershed to the Lake Simcoe/Lake Huron watershed with return flow to Lake Ontario. This daily limit is a factor
in determining how best to meet the needs of the Region’s communities north of the Lake Ontario watershed
boundary as they grow. It also underscores the importance to York Region of conservation and greater self-suf-
ficiency in water supply and wastewater treatment.

Protection of the Greenbelt, Oak Ridges Moraine and Lake Simcoe

The Greenbelt, a broad band of land encircling much of south-central Ontario, covers 69% of the land base
within York Region’s geographic boundaries. The Greenbelt Plan, created under the provincial Greenbelt Act,
2005, permanently protects natural heritage and water resource systems within it and supports agriculture as
its main land use. The Greenbelt Plan prevents York Region from using lands within a “Protected Countryside”
area for future urban growth. It restricts building or locating infrastructure in the plan area. Lake-based water
and wastewater services cannot be extended to communities in the plan area not already receiving lake-based
services unless public health is at risk or an existing settlement area is expanded.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 30
2.6 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK
The Oak Ridges Moraine is a component of the Greenbelt. An important source of groundwater recharge, the
moraine is protected by its own provincial legislation and conservation plan under the Oak Ridges Moraine
Conservation Act, 2001. Generally, where the Oak Ridges Moraine plan covers a specific geographic area, it
takes precedence over policies in the Greenbelt Plan. Future growth cannot generally be accommodated
except in approved settlement areas, and there are restrictions on how and where infrastructure can be located.
Servicing considerations for select communities located within the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine are
included in Appendix A.7. This information could be used as a basis to consider municipal servicing
implications if provincial policy restrictions are removed in the future.
Covering much of the northern part of the Region, Lake Simcoe and its tributaries make up an area of spe-
cial natural environmental interest, containing wetlands, forests and other natural features. Human-related
pressures, including phosphorus loading, led to creation of the provincial Lake Simcoe Protection Act, 2008
and an associated Lake Simcoe Protection Plan. The Protection Plan limits phosphorus discharges, including
those from municipal wastewater treatment facilities and does not allow for any new wastewater treatment
facility to be built unless it replaces an existing treatment facility. In addition, Provincial environmental policy
often issues competing requirements focused on areas that are easier to regulate, not necessarily the most
significant sources. There is a need for more integrated policy thinking to mitigate conflicts like the Hazardous
and Special Products Regulation which recommends consumers use up left over fertilizer which conflicts with
provincial regulations for controlling non-point sources of nutrients.
In addition to provincial protection, York Region’s Official Plan recognizes these systems and key natural fea-
tures that support healthy ecosystems, such as valleylands, woodlands, streams and lakes. It sets out policies
around use, protection and enhancement of the Regional Greenlands System, which includes many of these
features. These policies underlie the objective of this Master Plan to deliver sustainable servicing and align
with the watershed plans discussed below.

Protection of Watershed Health

Under the provincial Conservation Authorities Act, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority have undertaken watershed and subwatershed planning for
decades. This work helped inform the Municipal Comprehensive Review and infrastructure planning.
Plans are available on the website of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Lake Simcoe
Region Conservation Authority.
Through project-specific environmental assessments, design and construction will meet the Toronto and
Region Conservation Authority’s Living City Policies, and will fulfil the requirements of Ontario Regulation
166/06 including efforts to avoid, minimize, mitigate and compensate for impacts to the natural
heritage and hazard systems.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 31
2.6 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK
Rouge National Urban Park
Created by federal legislation in 2015, the Rouge National Urban Park is a new type of protected area —a na-
tional park within an urban area that includes part of the City of Markham and Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville
within York Region. Regional infrastructure is located within or close to the park, so this update considered the
park’s management plan. When infrastructure work needs to be done in or near the park, the Region will pro-
tect its natural features. Both the Rouge National Urban Park agreement and the Rouge National Urban Park Act
provide a strong foundation for protecting a broad range of Regional interests including: growth management,
infrastructure (e.g. water wastewater and roads), agriculture, transit and utilities. The agreement provides for
future infrastructure needs, protects easements and allows for maintenance activities including the ongoing
rehabilitation of the York Durham Sewage System.

Other Regulatory Considerations

Ontario has put in place a “multi-barrier” approach to safeguard drinking water. This is an integrated system
of measures and tools that together prevent or reduce contamination from water source to tap. Legislative
elements of the approach include:
 T he Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, which sets out rigid requirements for drinking water operations
and water quality; the Act imposes a standard of care on those responsible for municipal drinking
water systems

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT | AUGUST 2022 32
3.03.1 EVOLUTION
OVERVIEW OF WATER AND
WASTEWATER IN YORK REGION
3.2 CURRENT SYSTEMS
3.3 CURRENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE
3.4 USING THE ONE WATER APPROACH

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 33
3.1 EVOLUTION
3.1 EVOLUTION
As York Region has grown, its water and wastewater services and systems have evolved to keep pace.
Figure 3.1 provides an overview of key decisions and events that have significantly shaped the Region’s
servicing strategy.

Figure 3.1 York Region Servicing History

1970s to 1980s YORK REGION GROWTH*

• Agreement with Toronto to bring 91 KM of watermains
Lake Ontario water to York Region 144 KM of wastewater mains
• Duffin Creek plant and York Durham
550,000 residents
Sewage System (YDSS) built

1990s
• First Master Plans for water and YDSS 143 KM of watermains
• Water for Tomorrow program 158 KM of wastewater mains
introduced 700,000 residents
• Duffin Creek plant expanded

2000s
• Master Plan updates 285 KM of watermains
• Aurora and Newmarket receive 281 KM of wastewater mains
Lake Ontario supply
1.0 MILLION residents
• Service agreements with Peel Region
• King City and Stouffville connect
to YDSS

2010s
• Master Plan update 358 KM of watermains
• Stouffville, King City and Kleinburg- 359 KM of wastewater mains
Nashville receive Lake Ontario supply
1.2 MILLION residents
• Duffin Creek plant expanded again
• Holland Landing, Queensville and
Sharon connect to YDSS

*Regional water and wastewater mains only. Length of mains and population cumulative over each decade.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 34
3.2 CURRENT SYSTEMS
3.2 CURRENT SYSTEMS
The following sections provide an overview of water and wastewater systems currently in service.
The Master Plan focuses on municipal servicing only. It excludes developments serviced by privately owned
and operated communal water and wastewater systems. Through the Municipal Comprehensive Review,
interest was expressed in the provision of water and wastewater services for the communities of Ballantrae,
Gormley and Vandorf-Preston Lake in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. These communities were not consid-
ered for significant growth nor for provision of municipal servicing because of current provincial policy restric-
tions. In addition, interest was expressed for an increase in servicing capacity in Nobleton in the Township of
King and Mount Albert in the Town of East Gwillimbury, which are not considered for significant growth due to
provincial policy restrictions. Appendix A.7 outlines considerations for servicing these communities currently
restricted through provincial policy if those restrictions are lifted in the future. It also includes further informa-
tion about private communal systems.

Water Systems
The Regional water system supplies roughly 123 billion litres of water to residents and businesses annually,
enough to fill about 50,000 Olympic-size swimming pools.
Through agreements with neighbouring municipalities, over 90% of York Region’s total supply has come from
Lake Ontario in recent years, with groundwater supplying close to 7% and water from Lake Simcoe the remain-
ing amount. Groundwater, which is drawn from municipal wells, may be a community’s only supply, or in some
areas may be mixed with Lake Ontario water.
York Region’s water infrastructure is made up of:
T he York water system, which is the Region’s largest drinking water treatment and supply system;
it services the towns of Newmarket and Aurora, parts of the Town of East Gwillimbury (Holland
Landing, Queensville and Sharon), King City in the Township of King, the community of Stouffville
in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and the cities of Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan; this
system distributes Lake Ontario water. In the towns of Aurora, Newmarket and East Gwillimbury,
Lake Ontario supply is blended with groundwater from the Yonge Street aquifer, and in the
community of Stouffville it is supplemented with local groundwater
The Georgina water system, which draws water from Lake Simcoe to serve residents of the
Town of Georgina
Five stand-alone groundwater supply systems, which service communities in the Greenbelt Plan
area where regulation prevents lake-based supply, as explained in Section 2.6. These groundwater
systems are in the communities of Ansnorveldt, Nobleton and Schomberg in Township of King;
Ballantrae-Musselman’s Lake in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville; and Mount Albert in the Town
of East Gwillimbury

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 35
3.2 CURRENT SYSTEMS
Figure 3.2 illustrates York Region’s water systems and sources of supply. Most York Region residents are
served by one of these municipal water systems. Many farms and other rural properties, however, rely on
private on-site water systems such as wells.

Figure 3.2 York Region Water Systems and Sources of Supply in 2021

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 36
3.2 CURRENT SYSTEMS
The water system is continually evolving as new infrastructure is constructed, modified or taken off-line. For
the purpose of this Master Plan, the baseline water infrastructure system included all infrastructure in place
or under construction before January 2022. The baseline is shown in Figure 3.3.
The baseline was the starting point from which this Master Plan update assessed the need for any additional
water servicing. Appendix A.2 provides a detailed discussion of York Region’s current water infrastructure system.

Figure 3.3 York Region’s Baseline Water Infrastructure Systems in 2021

BASELINE WATER SYSTEM

Watermain
" Pumping Station
#
# Storage
! Water Treatment Plant
LAKE SIMCOE
! Well Fox
Future Urban Area Island
Georgina
Oak Ridges Moraine Snake Island
Greenbelt Plan Area Island
Urban Area
Towns and Villages
!
!
#
#
Area within ORMCP conditional upon #
#
amendments to Ontario Regulation 140/02
Watershed Boundary ! #
! #
Road
Highway Town of
Municipal Boundary Georgina
Regional Boundary
*This reflects the Draft 2022 Regional Official Plan,
currently under review through the Municipal #
#
Comprehensive Review and is subject to change
based on Regional Official Plan approval. Town of
**Urban designations are conditional upon East
amendments to the ORM designations.
Gwillimbury
#
# !
!

!
!

#
#
"
"!
! #
"
# #
# !
!
!
!
#
#
!
!

!
!

Simcoe County #
#
#
#
!
! !
!
#
"
#
# Town" #
# !
! !
!

! #
# !
! !
# of
# #
#
# Newmarket
!
!

Town of
!
!

Township
!
#
!
"
# ##
of King !
!
!!
" Whitchurch- ! !
!
!

Town of Stouffville
# Aurora
# #
#
#
##
# "
#
# #
#
#
#
#
# !
!
#
"
#
"
!!
!!

"
" !!
!
!
!
!
#
# ##
#
"
#
" #
"
#!
!

## City of #
" !
" #
" !

Richmond
#
# #
"
# Hill
#
"
#
"
#
"
#
"!!
#
"
# #
#
City of City of
"
"
Vaughan Markham
"
Peel Region

0 2 4 6 8Km
Durham Region

#
# #
# "
"
#
#

City of Toronto
"
"

¯
LAKE ONTARIO

O:\Solid_Waste\Projects\2021\20210411_MPlan\Tools\January\Baselinewater.mxd

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 37
3.2 CURRENT SYSTEMS
Wastewater Systems
As with water supply, York Region has agreements with neighbouring municipalities for wastewater treatment:
 ith Durham Region, it co-owns the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant, trunk sewers
W
and other infrastructure located in Pickering; the Duffin Creek plant treats about 85% of the
Region’s wastewater

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 38
3.2 CURRENT SYSTEMS
Figure 3.4 illustrates York Region’s wastewater systems and receiving water bodies. Most residents in York
Region are connected to municipal services. Many farms and other rural properties rely on private servicing
such as wells and septic systems.
Figure 3.4 Regional Wastewater Systems in 2021

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 39
3.2 CURRENT SYSTEMS
The baseline wastewater infrastructure systems are shown in Figure 3.5.
A detailed explanation of York Region’s existing wastewater infrastructure systems can be found in Appendix
A.2. Like our regional water systems, our wastewater infrastructure systems constantly evolve. This Master
Plan update considers all infrastructure in place or under construction before January 2022 as the baseline
in assessing the need for additional wastewater servicing.

Figure 3.5 York Region’s Baseline Wastewater Infrastructure Systems in 2021

BASELINE WASTEWATER SYSTEM

Wastewater Main
" Pumping Station
#
# Equalization Tank LAKE SIMCOE

! Water Resource Recovery Facility

Future Urban Area
Fox
Island Georgina
Oak Ridges Moraine
Greenbelt Plan Area Snake Island
Urban Area Island
Towns and Villages "
Area within ORMCP conditional upon "
"
amendments to Ontario Regulation 140/02 "!
Watershed Boundary
Road
Highway
Municipal Boundary Town of
Regional Boundary "! Georgina
*This reflects the Draft 2022 Regional Official Plan,
currently under review through the Municipal
Comprehensive Review and is subject to change "
based on Regional Official Plan approval.
Town of
**Urban designations are conditional upon
amendments to the ORM designations. East
Gwillimbury
"
! !
" "
"
Simcoe County "
"
#
#
Town
"! of "
Newmarket Town of
Township #
"
# Whitchurch-
of King Stouffville
Town of
Aurora

! " "

City of
City of
Vaughan
Richmond
! Hill City of
Markham
Peel Region

"
0 2 4 6 8Km
Durham Region

"
City of Toronto
" "
¯
!
!

LAKE ONTARIO
O:\Solid_Waste\Projects\2021\20210411_MPlan\Tools\January\baselinewaste.mxd

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 40
3.3 CURRENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE
3.3 CURRENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE
Going hand in hand with the 30-year plan for new infrastructure projects set out in this Master Plan is a suite
of programs and initiatives, including those outlined below, to manage system demand, care for assets and
address climate change. By reducing the burden on infrastructure, such programs lessen or defer the need to
expand and add to systems, and are key to efficient and cost-effective servicing.

Water Conservation
Since York Region introduced the 1997 Long-Term Water Supply Master Plan and the Water for Tomorrow
program, water conservation plans have been key to managing the demand for water. Over the past 23 years,
an estimated 27 megalitres a day has been saved because of the Region’s Water for Tomorrow and Long-Term
Water Conservation Strategy programming, the latter introduced in 2011.
This work has translated into declining per capita residential consumption. Between 2016 and 2020, water
consumption per capita averaged 194 litres a day for single-family households, down from 207 litres a day
over the previous five-year period. This value excludes total system demand, which includes total consumption
from all sectors, including non-revenue water. The Region’s aspirational goal is to reduce residential consump-
tion to an average of 150 litres by 2051. It is important to note that while this goal is valuable to discourage
wasting water and to price services equitably, water and wastewater systems must be designed based not on
average flows, but on the highest expected flows, as discussed in Section 4.2. York Region manages demand
on water and wastewater systems through programs that encourage communities, residents and businesses
to consider how much water they use, when they use it and how they dispose of it.
The Region’s Long-Term Water Conservation Strategy and programs, updated in 2021, emphasize cost-effec-
tive opportunities to realize long-term water savings, as described further in Section 7.2. The updated strategy
is available in Appendix C.1.

Inflow and Infiltration Reduction

Groundwater and water from rain or snow storm events can get into the sanitary sewer and treatment system
through processes called inflow and infiltration.
The results can include sewage backups in basements, higher costs to treat wastewater because of the extra
water and possible overflows at pumping stations or spills to the natural environment. The problem is expect-
ed to worsen because climate change is resulting in more frequent and severe rain, ice and snowstorms, and
temperature fluctuations that can bring rapid snow melt.
Since 2011, York Region’s Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Strategy has been integral to the Region’s water
demand management, saving more than 20 million litres of inflow and infiltration a day through partner-
ships and programs with local municipalities and the development industry. The 2021 update of the Inflow
and Infiltration Reduction Strategy builds on these successes and aims to reduce inflow and infiltration by 40
million litres a day by 2031, double the current level of reduction. This will further optimize the wastewater
system and improve system resiliency in the face of extreme weather, as described in Section 7.2. The updated
strategy is available in Appendix C.2.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 41
3.3 CURRENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE
Asset Management
Asset management planning for municipal infrastructure is another provincial regulatory requirement under
Ontario Regulation 588/17 influencing infrastructure planning. The Region developed a Corporate Asset Man-
agement Policy and related plan with the goal of minimizing costs of infrastructure over its entire life cycle,
from construction through operation to decommissioning. The Corporate Asset Management Plan, adopted by
Regional Council in 2018, considers inspection, repair, renewal, replacement and other needs over a 100-year
time horizon. In recognition of the importance of managing and maintaining infrastructure assets to ensure
sustainable service delivery, a comprehensive Water and Wastewater Asset Management Plan was developed
in 2017 to provide input to the Corporate Asset Management Plan. Updates to both of these asset manage-
ment plans are anticipated by 2024. To ensure financial sustainability, reserves are maintained through the
water and wastewater user rates to recover the full costs of providing services, including day-to-day operating
expenses and contributions to reserves to cover current and future rehabilitation and replacement costs. This
principal of full cost recovery is a long-standing Regional commitment that is outlined in the Region’s Water
and Wastewater Financial Sustainability Plan.
To get the most value from investments and minimize disruption to communities, the Region looks for
alignment with the timing of this renewal work with growth-related projects, wherever possible.

Climate Change and Energy Conservation

As outlined in York Region’s draft Climate Change Action Plan, a changing climate is already bringing more
extreme and less predictable weather (Figure 3.6), which puts additional pressure on infrastructure.

Figure 3.6 Predicted Climate Trends for York Region by 2050

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 42
3.3 CURRENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE
Addressing climate change calls for two approaches: mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation refers to reducing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to slow human-induced global warming. Adaptation refers to taking action
to reduce negative impacts associated with existing and future climate change. Examples of mitigation and
adaption actions are illustrated in Figure 3.7.
The Region is committed to mitigating impacts of climate change with a goal of achieving net-zero GHG emis-
sions by 2050. York Region’s Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan lays out programs and
projects to reduce energy use and GHG emissions associated with the delivery of Regional services. The plan
is updated every five years as required under the Electricity Act, 1998. The last update, completed in 2019,
features short, medium and long-term GHG reduction targets to 2051.
The main use of energy in water and wastewater systems is for pumping and wastewater aeration. Energy use
can be reduced by operating more efficiently and encouraging water conservation. In line with the Energy Con-
servation and Demand Management Plan, potential GHG emissions were considered in selecting a preferred
strategy, as described in Section 5, Table 5.2: Results of Evaluating Two Alternative Water Servicing Strategies.
Even with substantial mitigation efforts, York Region will continue to feel climate change impacts, and needs
to adapt to these and take action to reduce its negative impacts. As the plan is implemented, making sure
assets are resilient in the face of expected higher temperatures and wetter/drier extremes may call for updating
design requirements.

Figure 3.7 Examples of Mitigation and Adaptation Actions

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 43
3.4 USING THE ONE WATER APPROACH
3.4 USING THE ONE WATER APPROACH
An important purpose of this Master Plan update is ensuring long-term sustainability of water and wastewa-
ter systems, following the direction of York Regional Council at the time of the 2016 update.
The Region is increasingly using an integrated One Water approach to work towards greater sustainability.
Adopted by utilities around the world, One Water recognizes that all sources of water – drinking water, waste-
water, recycled water, rainwater, stormwater and more – are part of a finite global resource. By leveraging
previously untapped sources of water and natural instead of built solutions, One Water benefits communities
and the environment while costing less than traditional approaches.
Recognizing municipal water systems as part of the larger water cycle in the natural world aligns with the
circular economy concept that focuses on conserving, reusing and repurposing resources, not just extracting,
using and disposing of them.
In York Region, the three guiding principles of One Water are integrate, innovate and ‘infrastretch’ as defined
in Figure 3.8 below.

Figure 3.8 One Water Guiding Principles

INTEGRATION
Take a coordinated, holistic approach
to water resource management.

DECISION- INNOVATION
MAKING Practice and explore new concepts and
ideas to promote cost efficiency and
environmental sustainability.

INFRASTRETCHING
Maximize the useful life and capacity of built
infrastructure to defer capital investment.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 44
3.4 USING THE ONE WATER APPROACH
Integrate
One Water recognizes all forms of water are ultimately
connected in a complex, living system
To better manage and protect that living system,
people must work together to share and connect
their plans, practices, knowledge and information
Integrating also means working together within the
Region to create a collaborative One Water culture by
adopting whole systems thinking, joining up plans
and practices, and building relationships with
entities throughout and even beyond the Region

Innovate
Innovative solutions to complex problems are needed
to enhance systems and services by better matching
water sources and water uses; innovation can be a
new idea, product or new way of doing things that
achieves more with the same or fewer resources
One Water should inspire and support innovative Water Reuse Research Demonstration Project
approaches that add value to water services for the York Region continues to explore new
benefit of residents, businesses and the environment opportunities to expand its One Water
approach through research and innovation.
Infrastretch
In 2020, the Region completed the award-winning
The One Water approach is critical to making
Water Reuse Research Demonstration Project,
infrastructure more resilient, reliable and
which involved reusing treated wastewater
cost effective
effluent for irrigation at a sod farm. The project
Infrastretching is a term used by York Region which received the Ontario Water Works Association
means maximizing the useful capacity and useful (OWWA) 2020 Water Efficiency Award.
life of built infrastructure to minimize and/or defer
The demonstration project identified some
capital investment; this principle focuses on the
limitations in applying reused water, including
physical water and wastewater assets as well as
salt content from water softeners used in the
on supportive green infrastructure
area. York Region is now researching potential
non-agriculture applications, for example, street
tree irrigation or other commercial or industrial
uses by nearby businesses. Through an economic
feasibility study in 2022, York Region hopes to
identify businesses that can use reused water
from wastewater or dewatering sites.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 45
3.4 USING THE ONE WATER APPROACH

Natural Infrastructure to Mitigate Hazards of Changing Climate

Impacts of climate change are particularly magnified for people living in urban areas, where urban
heat island effect will increase temperatures on average 1 to 3 degrees Celsius, and in extreme cases
12 degrees Celsius compared to surrounding rural areas. Heat waves have been identified as the
primary weather-related disaster causing death in the world.
To help mitigate the hazards of extreme temperatures and flooding, York Region, with funding provided
through the Federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, is adding more than 400,000 trees,
seedlings and shrubs in urban areas.
In the face of climate change, an investment in natural infrastructure is a sound, cost-effective investment
for the long term, with benefits that increase over time.

Our One Water approach is most effective and fully realized when all three of these principles are brought
together to solve complex problems facing water services and communities.
One Water goes far beyond the Region’s own actions. Just as the natural water cycle operates at different
scales, from small ponds and creeks to vast oceans, One Water ideas and initiatives can take place at the
household, business, community or watershed level.

Big Data Analytics and Machine Learning for

Improved Wastewater System Response and
Forecasting
York Region aims to enhance wastewater system
resiliency by using a model powered by machine
learning that can quickly and accurately predict
the sanitary sewer system’s response to rainfall.
The model is based on real-time data collected
from over 350 monitoring locations. It will help
inform smarter operational decisions and
improve the design and management of infra-
structure with better confidence and greater
cost effectiveness.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 3.0 OVERVIEW | AUGUST 2022 46
4.0 OUTLOOK

4.1 UPDATE TO GROWTH PLAN FORECASTS AND EXPECTED INTENSIFICATION

4.2 WATER AND WASTEWATER FLOW PROJECTIONS
4.3 FISCAL AND LAND USE PLANNING IMPLICATIONS

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 4.0 OUTLOOK | AUGUST 2022 47
4.1 UPDATE TO GROWTH PLAN FORECASTS AND EXPECTED INTENSIFICATION
4.1 UPDATE TO GROWTH PLAN FORECASTS AND EXPECTED INTENSIFICATION
This updated Master Plan refines the long-term servicing strategy that was outlined in 2016. The refinements
largely reflect revised planning projections to 2051 developed through the Municipal Comprehensive Review,
which informed the updated Regional Official Plan.
These planning projections are based on 2020 Ontario government updates to population and employment
forecasts in A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Provincial direction is outlined in
Section 2.6.
In addition to updating forecasts in 2020, the province extended the forecast period by 10 years, from 2041
to 2051. Overall, significant growth is expected across York Region by 2051, as shown in Figure 4.1. This
represents the addition of roughly 800,000 people and 345,000 jobs between 2021 and 2051, the greatest
percentage growth of any Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area municipality.

Figure 4.1 Population and Employment Growth Forecast in York Region through the Provincial Growth Plan

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 4.0 OUTLOOK | AUGUST 2022 48
4.1 UPDATE TO GROWTH PLAN FORECASTS AND EXPECTED INTENSIFICATION

The province requires municipalities to identify and plan for infrastructure needed to support its growth fore-
casts. York Region and other regional municipalities, in coordination with local municipal planners, distribute
provincial projections to the local level.
Updated figures for York Region, taken from the Municipal Comprehensive Review, are shown in Table 4.1 and
Figure 4.2 below.
In southern York Region communities, urban boundaries will expand considerably in the cities of Markham
and Vaughan. Areas of high intensification are also planned, with greater density of residents and jobs than
was expected in 2016.

Table 4.1 Distribution of Population and Employment in York Region to 2051*

Local Municipality Population Employment

Aurora 84,700 41,300
East Gwillimbury 127,600 43,700
Georgina 70,100 20,700
King 50,100 16,400
Markham 608,800 301,700
Newmarket 115,900 58,500
Richmond Hill 319,800 122,800
Vaughan 570,600 351,600
Whitchurch-Stouffville 88,200 34,500
York Region 2,035,800 991,200
*This reflects the Draft 2022 Regional Official Plan and is subject to change based on Regional Official Plan approval.

Major growth is also forecast in the north, particularly in the Town of East Gwillimbury, where significant
new land will be brought into the urban boundary. Moderately higher growth than set out in 2016 is
planned in the towns of Aurora and Newmarket.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 4.0 OUTLOOK | AUGUST 2022 49
4.1 UPDATE TO GROWTH PLAN FORECASTS AND EXPECTED INTENSIFICATION
Figure 4.2 Where New Population and Employment will go by 2051*

700,000

600,000

500,000

Residential
400,000
Population

300,000

Employment

Employment
Residential

Residential

Residential
Residential

200,000
Residential
Employment

Employment

Residential

Employment
Employment

Employment

Employment
Employment

Residential
Residential
100,000

0
Aurora

East Gwillimbury

Georgina

King

Markham

Newmarket

Richmond Hill

Vaughan

Whitchurch-Stouffville
Current (2021) Forecasted Growth

*This reflects the Draft 2022 Regional Official Plan and is subject to change based on Regional Official Plan approval.

On October 21, 2021, York Regional Council approved a growth scenario for the 2022 Regional Official Plan
update. This scenario includes 50% intensification annually to 2041 and 55% annually from 2041 to 2051.
Four motions were approved with respect to growth and urban expansion in the City of Markham, Township of
King and the towns of East Gwillimbury and Whitchurch-Stouffville. Section 6 and Appendix A.7 further discuss
how water and wastewater servicing has been considered for each motion.
As well as providing the Regional forecast, the province sets out minimum intensification and density targets
through A Place to Grow. The emphasis is on compact growth that is ideally supported by transit.
Transit has become a more important consideration with extension of the subway line from the City of Toronto
into York Region. A link to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre was completed in 2017, triggering major high-inten-
sity development in that area. More recently, the provincial and federal governments announced their support
for the Yonge North Subway Extension Project, extending the Yonge line to the Langstaff Gateway area near
Highway 7 and Yonge Street in Richmond Hill, which is a Regional priority.
The Region has also introduced a new framework in the Regional Official Plan for major transit station
areas, which aims to support the development of transit-supportive communities around higher order
transit stations. Over 70 major transit station areas have been identified across the Region, supported
by a comprehensive set of policies, mapping and density targets to help guide local municipalities on
planning for major transit station areas.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 4.0 OUTLOOK | AUGUST 2022 50
4.2 WATER AND WASTEWATER FLOW PROJECTIONS
4.2 WATER AND WASTEWATER FLOW PROJECTIONS
Projections of expected water and wastewater flows are a key input to planning future servicing.

Forecast Water Flows

The model used by the Region to forecast annual water demand was first developed in 2015 as part of a water
and wastewater user rate study. Since then, it has been regularly monitored and was recently reviewed for the
2021 update to the user rate study and this Master Plan.
The model was developed by analyzing how demand for water in York Region is affected by population
growth, price changes and average summer weather. Generally, demand goes up as population grows,
although this is offset somewhat by declining per capita water consumption. Price increases also tend to mod-
erate consumption increases. Summer weather that is drier and/or hotter than average boosts consumption,
while cool, wet weather reduces it.
For infrastructure master planning, the forecast model uses the population forecasts in the Municipal Compre-
hensive Review, water prices as set out in the 2021 user rate study and average summer temperatures in York
Region. The updated projection to 2051 is shown in the graph below:

Figure 4.3 Forecast Annual Regional Water Demand to 2051

200,000

180,000
160,000
140,000
120,000
Megalitres

100,000
80,000
60,000

40,000
20,000

2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

Years
Upper Bound of Confidence Interval Average Forecasted Demand Historic Flows

The light blue shaded band shows the 95% confidence interval above and below the average. Statistically,
actual demand can be expected to fall within this band 95% of the time. This is a reminder that all forecasts
are subject to uncertainty.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 4.0 OUTLOOK | AUGUST 2022 51
4.2 WATER AND WASTEWATER FLOW PROJECTIONS
For greater certainty that adequate servicing will be in place
when needed, and in line with previous master plans, the
Region used the upper bound of the projection in Figure 4.3 –
that is, the highest predicted demand within the 95% confi- Considering Long-term Impacts
dence interval — as the starting point for planning. of Working From Home on Water
Demand Forecasting
This gave a forecast for total water demand across the Region.
Table 4.2 shows the design consumption rates for residential Working from home during the
and employment sectors. The table shows that per person daily pandemic shifted the usual
water consumption in litres per capita per day (Lpcd), whether consumption pattern between
at home or in a workplace, is expected to decrease over time industrial/commercial/institutional (ICI)
because of water conservation efforts. These rates underpinned and residential with the residential
the analysis of future water needs. share increasing and the ICI share
dropping as businesses were closed
Table 4.2 Residential and Employment Water Consumption and many residents began working
Design Rates to 2051 from home. Despite this change in
relative use by these sectors there
Year was no discernible impact on total
Design Rate
2021 2026 2031 2036 2041 2051 Regional water use. Impacts of any
Residential lasting changes in consumption
221 214 207 200 195 195
(Lpcd) patterns due to the pandemic will
Employment continue to be monitored and
161 159 158 155 151 151 considered in future modelling.
(Lpcd)

While these design rates are useful in determining general

water needs, water consumption varies from day to day and
can increase sharply during the summer, especially during a
long spell of hot, dry weather. For this reason, design of water
infrastructure inflates average demand by a “peaking factor”
to consider consumption expected on highest demand day of
the year. Other localized factors affecting water demand, such
as proportion of residential to employment areas, are also
factored into analysis of future needs in different areas.
Appendix A.4 provides more information on water demand
forecasting and Appendix A.3 outlines technical design criteria.
The Region monitors actual flows on an ongoing basis and reg-
ularly reviews design rates, updating them as needed as part
of master plan updates – typically on a five-year cycle.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 4.0 OUTLOOK | AUGUST 2022 52
4.3 FISCAL AND LAND USE PLANNING IMPLICATIONS
Wastewater Flow Projection
In dry weather, flows collected in the wastewater system correlate well with the amount of drinking water
consumed.
Design of wastewater systems must consider “wet weather flow” conditions because some water inevitably
enters the sanitary sewer system as a result of rainfall or snowmelt. This drives peak flows that the system
must accommodate. The Region sizes its wastewater system to handle flows that would result from a 25-year
storm event – a storm of such size and intensity that it would typically happen only once every 25 years.
For this Master Plan update, the Region reviewed its 25-year design storm to consider the latest measured
flow data as well as the potential for climate change to result in more extreme weather events. This review
found that the current design storm continues to be valid.
Appendix A.3 and A.4 provide more information on technical design criteria and wastewater flow forecasting
respectively.

4.3 FISCAL AND LAND USE PLANNING IMPLICATIONS

The Master Plan is guided by the Region’s capacity to pay for new infrastructure. In particular, it needs to con-
sider the impact of providing service to more people and more jobs in the Region, especially in areas of higher
growth and intensification.
Growth-related infrastructure is primarily funded by development charges levied on new development. The
provincial Development Charges Act, 1997 governs development charges. As required by the Act, municipalities
set out development charges in a bylaw that is updated at least every five years. Master plans and the annual
budget inform the development of the development charge background study and bylaw. The Region’s Devel-
opment Charges Bylaw is being updated, with the revised bylaw to be in place by June 2022.
Infrastructure is designed to achieve economies of scale and is built before growth happens and development
charges are collected. Debt is needed to bridge the gap between when infrastructure investments are made
and when costs are recovered through development charges, but this approach must be used judiciously to
avoid unsustainable debt levels and manage risk associated with timing of collections.
In recent years, the Region has experienced lower than forecast development and, as a result, lower than
expected development charge collections. The lower development charge collections in turn increase the
Region’s need to issue debt to bridge the timing between expenditure and development charge collections.
As well, in some cases, infrastructure investments have been made in areas where growth has not happened
as expected. Rising costs to deliver capital projects and delays in receiving approvals also contributed to
increasing debt pressure.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 4.0 OUTLOOK | AUGUST 2022 53
4.3 FISCAL AND LAND USE PLANNING IMPLICATIONS

The Regional Fiscal Strategy, which aims to strike a balance between current and long-term financial needs,
is addressing these impacts. The strategy achieves balance by carefully managing the capital plan, building
reserves for future needs and limiting the use of development-charge-supported debt. Greater accuracy in
forecasting growth, supported by continual monitoring and adjustment in plans as needed, also helps the
Region provide the right service at the right time.
Through the Municipal Comprehensive Review and updates to the master plans, two key goals were to distrib-
ute local municipal growth to better leverage existing infrastructure systems and more tightly align the pacing
of new capital projects with actual growth. These goals promote financial sustainability and were in line with
principles endorsed by York Regional Council in June 2019. They are key to creating fiscal room for the next
generation of infrastructure projects, including the Region’s share of the Yonge North Subway Extension.
Phasing growth is important to ensure that communities are developed as complete communities, that
residents will have access to a wide range of services and amenities within the same community (such
as schools, parks, libraries, transit and jobs) in a timely manner. Phasing new communities is further outlined
in chapter 4 of the Draft Regional Official Plan in the “Phasing in New Community Areas” policies.
Major changes in planning can affect servicing plans, as they may require infrastructure to be upsized, projects
to be advanced and/or new projects added. Section 7.1 provides more details on how the Region takes an
adaptive approach to implementation to accommodate such changes.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 4.0 OUTLOOK | AUGUST 2022 54
5.0 OPTIONS FOR
SERVICING GROWTH
5.1 ARRIVING AT A PREFERRED STRATEGY FOR SERVICING
5.2 THE 2016 DIRECTION TO MEET GROWTH NEEDS
5.3 SCREENING THE CONCEPTS
5.4 DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICING NEEDS
5.5 EVALUATING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 55
5.1 ARRIVING AT A PREFERRED STRATEGY FOR SERVICING
5.1 ARRIVING AT A PREFERRED STRATEGY FOR SERVICING
The Municipal Engineers Association framework for master planning considers water and wastewater servic-
ing needs in the context of the whole servicing system.
This Master Plan update identified a preferred strategy for servicing through a two-stage process:
1. Screening of servicing concepts, which are various techniques or tools available to the Region that
could be used independently or in combination to address servicing needs at a conceptual level
2. Developing and evaluating alternative strategies; these evolve from the servicing concepts to yield
comprehensive and feasible approaches to address water and wastewater servicing needs
The diagram in Figure 5.1 shows the process:
Figure 5.1 Identifying a Preferred Strategy

The starting point for the review was the preferred strategy identified in the 2016 Master Plan update and
subsequent studies and analyses.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 56
5.2 THE 2016 DIRECTION TO MEET GROWTH NEEDS
5.2 THE 2016 DIRECTION TO MEET GROWTH NEEDS
The preferred strategy from the previous Master Plan update is referred to as the 2016 Servicing Strategy. It
planned for future growth in the Region to be serviced largely by leveraging and expanding existing water and
wastewater systems. Most drinking water would continue to come from Lake Ontario, and most wastewater
would be returned to that watershed for treatment.
Key elements of the 2016 Servicing Strategy are:
Introduce water supply from Lake Simcoe to supplement the current Lake Ontario and groundwater
supply in the Town of East Gwillimbury and parts of the Town of Newmarket, and return wastewater
flows to Lake Simcoe via the proposed Water Reclamation Centre and related infrastructure
Continue to supply the cities of Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill and part of the Township of
King with Lake Ontario water and return the related wastewater flows to Lake Ontario via the York
Durham Sewage System
Continue to supply the towns of Whitchurch-Stouffville and Aurora and most of the Town of New-
market with blended groundwater and Lake Ontario water and return wastewater flows via the
York Durham Sewage System. A portion of wastewater flows from the Town of Newmarket will be
treated at the Water Reclamation Centre
Continue to supply the Town of Georgina with Lake Simcoe water and return wastewater flows via
the Keswick and Sutton water resource recovery facilities
Continue to supply stand-alone communities with groundwater and return wastewater flows to
individual water resource recovery facilities in those communities
Since 2016, the Region has been moving ahead on approved projects from the 2016 Servicing Strategy:
York Regional Council approved adding a new pump to the Maple Pressure District 8 pumping
station in the City of Vaughan
The province approved the environmental assessment for additional water and wastewater service
in northeast Vaughan
The province approved the environmental assessment for the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control
Plant outfall strategy
The Region commissioned a new twin forcemain (pumped sewer pipe) between the towns of
Newmarket and Aurora in 2021, making the system more reliable and resilient

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 57
5.3 SCREENING THE CONCEPTS
The province permitted twinning of the forcemain from Upper York Sewage Solutions to go ahead owing
to system security concerns, making it the only component of the proposed Upper York Sewage Solutions
initiative yet approved. As a result of delays in approving the other components, York Regional Council
authorized two interim projects in 2018 to provide capacity to meet growth needs in the towns of Aurora,
East Gwillimbury and Newmarket:
Upgrades to the Aurora sewage pumping station, completed in 2021
A new pumping station near the intersection of Yonge Street and Henderson Drive in the
Town of Aurora, on which construction started in summer 2021
The costs and disruptions related to these projects would have been avoided if the province had provided
timely approval of Upper York Sewage Solutions, which remains valid to this day and has been awaiting a
provincial decision on the environmental assessment since it was submitted in 2014.
The 2016 strategy also included continuing demand management programs like water conservation and
inflow and infiltration reduction. These programs, which support environmental and financial sustainability,
fit well with the One Water approach that the Region began integrating into its planning in 2016.

5.3 SCREENING THE CONCEPTS

At a high level, the following concepts for servicing new growth are theoretically available to York Region:
1. Do nothing
2. Limit growth
3. Expand and optimize the infrastructure system
4. Implement demand management measures

Optimize
Optimization, also called infrastretching, means maximizing the useful capacity and useful life of
built infrastructure to minimize and/or defer capital investment. An example of this is managing
the timing of flows in the wastewater pipe network to smooth peak flows at capacity bottle-
necks. Optimization can allow for system expansion to be done strategically, as needed.

To screen these servicing concepts, the Region considered applicable regulations, technical and financial
implications, and potential impact on the natural environment and communities at a high level to assess
the advantages and disadvantages of each servicing concept. Table 5.1 describes each of the concepts as
well as results of screening.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 58
5.3 SCREENING THE CONCEPTS
Table 5.1 Screening of Water and Wastewater Servicing Concepts

Concepts Description Advantages Disadvantages Is this option viable?

Do nothing A hypothetical • No costs for new • Inadequate service No
concept that or expanded to residents and
acknowledges infrastructure businesses; poten- This option would put
growth will occur tial for wastewater York Region in direct
but provides no • No construction impacts spills; inability violation of Ontario Water
plan or action to to service future Resources Act and Safe
ensure additional growth Drinking Water Act, 2002.
water and
wastewater • Public health risk
servicing needs and inability to
are met. comply with Safe
Drinking Water Act,
2002 and Ontario
Water Resources Act
Limit growth A concept that • No costs for new • Inadequate No
limits growth to what or expanded servicing to meet
existing water and infrastructure Regional Official This option puts York Re-
wastewater systems Plan and A Place to gion in direct violation of
can serve so as not • No construction impacts Grow targets Places to Grow Act, 2005.
to trigger new growth
infrastructure needs.

Expand Leverage existing • Enables long-term growth • Capital costs may Yes
and optimize infrastructure in line with Places to be significant
existing systems and expand Grow Act, 2005 This option is an essential
systems strategically as • Construction component of long-term
needed. • Ensures compliance with impacts residents servicing that meets the
Safe Drinking Water Act, and businesses and needs of York Region’s
2002 and Ontario Water potentially impacts communities now and in
Resources Act the natural environ- the future.
ment
• Makes best use of
existing plans and
agreements (i.e. Region’s
capital plan, long-term
agreements with Durham,
Toronto and Peel)

Demand Continue efforts • Reduces new • Can’t meet future Yes

management to conserve water, infrastructure needs, servicing needs
reduce inflow and costs and impacts, alone This concept is a key
infiltration, and including impacts on to integrated water
explore water reuse. natural environment • Requires ongoing management and
costs to deliver cost-efficient servicing.
• Aligns with regulation programs
and legislation
• Difficult to
predict impacts
on consumption
over the long term

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 59
5.4 D EVELOPING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES TO
ADDRESS WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICING NEEDS
This screening stage confirmed that high-level concepts for long-term servicing remain the same as in the
2016 Master Plan: expand and optimize the existing system and continue measures to manage demand.
Both concepts are needed because managing all future demand without new infrastructure would not be
feasible and expanding the system without demand management would not make best use of financial
or water resources.

5.4 DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICING NEEDS
The second stage of the process involved developing and evaluating high-level alternatives, called alternative
strategies, based on these two concepts.

Alternative Strategies for Water Servicing

At the Regional scale, this update confirmed that future water supply capacity as outlined in the 2016 Master
Plan is sufficient to service future growth, even though the planning horizon has been extended to 2051.
The 2016 update explored two alternative strategies and both were carried forward for review in this update.
These strategies are referred to as the York Water System with Northern Connection and York Water System
without Northern Connection strategies. They appear in Figures 5.2 and 5.3. Both strategies assume continued
water conservation efforts. In addition, most long-term drinking water needs would be met through:
Continued use and expansion of Lake Ontario water supply to service the cities of Markham,
Richmond Hill and Vaughan, and King City in the Township of King

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 60
5.4 D EVELOPING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES TO
ADDRESS WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICING NEEDS
Figure 5.2 Strategy 1: York Water System with Northern Connection

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 61
5.4 D EVELOPING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES TO
ADDRESS WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICING NEEDS
Figure 5.3 Strategy 2: York Water System without Northern Connection

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 62
5.4 D EVELOPING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES TO
ADDRESS WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICING NEEDS
Preferred Strategy for Wastewater Servicing
As was the case in 2016, analysis of future wastewater needs showed that additional treatment and convey-
ance capacity will be needed to accommodate expected growth.
This update identified only one preferred strategy for wastewater servicing, which aligns with the direction set
out in the 2016 Master Plan:
Continued use of the York Durham Sewage System, including future expansion of the Duffin Creek
Water Pollution Control Plant and the collector system, to service most of the Region’s population

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 63
5.5 E VALUATING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES
Major growth is expected elsewhere in the Region, particularly in the southern York Region communities, and
this will require significant expansion of the York Durham Sewage System. The preferred strategy addresses
this need as well.

5.5 EVALUATING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES

Two alternative strategies for water servicing were evaluated using several criteria, as outlined in Table 5.2
below, to determine the preferred strategy.
The evaluation for water servicing used the 2016 Master Plan assessment as a basis, including applying the
same criteria, weighting and scoring. For each criterion, if one strategy was superior to the other, it received
a score of 1 and the other received a score of 0. If both performed the same against the criterion, they both
received a score of 1. A weighted score was then determined for each category of criteria, which included tech-
nical, environmental, financial, social and regulatory/jurisdictional considerations. The sum of the weighted
criteria category scores yielded the total score for each alternative strategy.
This evaluation also incorporated the following new information:
Updated flow projections from growth forecast to 2051
Updated costs associated with each strategy
High-level assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from each strategy
Table 5.2 summarizes the evaluation. Appendix A.5 provides more details, including the rationale for scoring
of each criterion. The evaluation was completed at a high level aligned with a master plan process level of
detail, with more in-depth analyses to be undertaken through project-specific environmental assessments.
As this Master Plan considers only one wastewater strategy to be feasible, no evaluation of wastewater
alternatives was required.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 64
 5.5 E VALUATING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES
Table 5.2 Results of Evaluating Two Alternative Water Servicing Strategies

York Water System

York Water System without
Criteria category weighting Evaluation criteria Description of evaluation criteria with Northern
Northern Connection
Connection
Constructability Volume and complexity of construction associated with strategy. 0 1
Redundancy of supply/service Improvement in redundancy of supply or service. 1 0
Resilience to climate change Ability of the strategy to reliably provide service under a changing climate. 1 1
Technical Water age Impact on water age in the distribution system. 1 0
27% Operations and maintenance Requirement for additional and or new operations and maintenance resources. The complexity and maintainability of new assets. 1 1
Energy efficiency and potential for GHGs Energy intensity associated with the alternative in ekWh/ML. 1 0
Total technical score 5/6 3/6
Technical weighted score 23/27 14/27
Potential impacts (from construction/ongoing operations) on local aquatic species/habitats, including locally significant or
Aquatic vegetation and wildlife 0 1
at-risk aquatic species.
Potential impacts (from construction/ongoing operations) on local terrestrial species/habitats, designated areas,
Terrestrial vegetation and wildlife 1 1
locally significant or at-risk species.
Environmental Intra-basin water balance of water transferred between Lake Ontario to Lake Huron basins. Based on average
Regional water balance 1 0
27% annual daily transfer in ML/d.
Construction impacts on groundwater resources Potential impact on groundwater quantity or quality during construction. 1 1
Total environmental score 3/4 3/4
Environmental weighted score 20/27 20/27
Capital cost Initial capital and commissioning costs to implement the strategy. 1 1
Financial Lifecycle cost Lifecycle costs expected over a 100-year period. 1 1
21% Total financial score 2/2 2/2
Financial weighted score 21/21 21/21
Land requirements Area of non-Regional land or length of easements required. 1 1
Jurisdictional/ Direct access to water supply Improvement of direct access to water supply. 1 0
Regulatory Adaptability to changing regulation Ability of strategy to adapt to anticipated changes in drinking water quality and wastewater effluent requirements. 1 1
15% Total jurisdictional/regulatory score 3/3 2/3
Jurisdictional/Regulatory weighted score 15/15 10/15
Archaeological sites Potential impact on registered/known archaeological features during construction or ongoing operations. 1 1
Cultural/Heritage features Potential impact on known cultural landscapes and built heritage features during construction or ongoing operations. 1 1
Social/Cultural Impacts during construction Potential construction impacts due to noise, dust, odour or traffic. 1 1
10% Long-term community impact Long-term impact on local community and businesses, e.g. land use compatibility. 1 1
Total social/cultural score 4/4 4/4
Social/Cultural weighted score 10/10 10/10

Total score 89/100 75/100

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 65
5.5 E VALUATING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES
The updated evaluation confirmed that Strategy 1: York Water System with Northern Connection, which
links Lake Simcoe to the north end of the York Water System, had the highest score and remains the
preferred strategy for water servicing.
While the two alternative strategies ranked the same across several criteria, the York Water System
with Northern Connection Strategy’s technical and jurisdictional/regulatory advantages gave it the
higher score. Looking in more detail at the scores in Table 5.2, the preferred strategy would:
Reduce water age in parts of the Region, reducing potential water quality challenges

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 66
5.5 E VALUATING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES
Figure 5.4 Preferred Strategy for Water Servicing: York Water System with Northern Connection

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 67
5.5 E VALUATING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES
Figure 5.5 Preferred Strategy for Wastewater Servicing

Section 6 describes the detailed infrastructure plan related to the high-level preferred strategies,
while Section 7 discusses implementation.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 68
YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 5.0 OPTIONS FOR SERVICING GROWTH | AUGUST 2022 69
6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE
PLAN
6.1 REGIONAL PROJECTS TO ADDRESS REGION-WIDE SERVICING NEEDS
6.2 CITIES OF MARKHAM, RICHMOND HILL AND VAUGHAN
6.3 TOWNSHIP OF KING
6.4 TOWN OF WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE
6.5 TOWNS OF AURORA, EAST GWILLIMBURY AND NEWMARKET
6.6 TOWN OF GEORGINA
6.7 UPDATED COST ESTIMATES

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 70
6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Through the servicing strategy, the Water and Wastewater Master Plan provides the overall vision for how the
Region will provide safe, reliable services to new growth over the long term. This long-term vision involves
delivering projects that expand existing infrastructure and make systems more robust. This section outlines
the infrastructure plan and identifies projects and costs to meet growth needs to 2051.
While the preferred water and wastewater servicing strategy is similar to the strategy identified in the 2016
Master Plan, there have been some changes. This update focused on refining details of the 2016 infrastructure
plan to take into account the new 2051 planning horizon and updated Regional Official Plan. This resulted in
some changes to expected infrastructure sizing, timing and costs. Refinements also considered how to reduce
lifecycle costs and make the system overall more resilient.
Master plans identify the need for specific groups of projects to meet servicing needs and describe them at
a high level to help plan for and guide future work. At this stage, however, projects are conceptual in nature.
Details of specific solutions – including location, final size and choice of technology – are defined as specific
projects are carried out, reflecting new information as it becomes available.
As in the 2016 Master Plan, this update identified upgrades and expansions to parts of the system to bring
additional water supply to communities where local capacity would otherwise be constrained. Projects are
planned and phased to address needs that vary across local municipalities in future years, as well as to meet
overall Regional needs. For wastewater, upgrades and expansions of infrastructure will be needed to convey
and treat wastewater flows from different catchment areas.
Table 6.1 highlights all the growth-related water and wastewater projects including phasing, cost and local
municipality serviced. Section 6.7 provides details on the methodology used in calculating project costs. Figure
6.1 shows water-related infrastructure projects and expected phasing, while Figure 6.2 shows wastewater-re-
lated projects and phasing.
The following sections summarize the water and wastewater projects needed to support growth. As the
Regional water and wastewater systems are designed to serve multiple municipalities, projects have been
grouped accordingly.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 71
 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Table 6.1 Growth-related Water and Wastewater Projects

Municipality partially or fully serviced by this project

Estimated
Planned Environmental
expenditures
MP ID Project description implementation Assessment Town of
2022-2051 Town of Town of Town of Township City of Town of City of City of
timeframe (EA) Process Whitchurch-
(000’s) Aurora East Gwillimbury Georgina of King Markham Newmarket Richmond Hill Vaughan
Stouffville

Cost-shared programs
Toronto Water Supply - Cost-Shared Works
W1 Continue implementation of cost-shared capital projects within the City of Toronto $ 77,800 Ongoing Various X X X X X X X X
to permit gradual increase of water supply to York Region in accordance with
current Servicing Agreement.
Peel Water Supply - Cost-Shared Works
W2 Continue implementation of cost-shared capital projects within Region of Peel to $ 16,160 Ongoing Various X X X X X X
permit gradual increase of water supply to York Region in accordance with current
Servicing Agreement.
Peel System Cost-Shared Works
WW1 Continue implementation of cost-shared projects in the Region of Peel to allow $ 8,370 Ongoing Various X
diversion of York wastewater flows for treatment in Peel wastewater system in
accordance with current Servicing Agreement.

Water and wastewater treatment

Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant Outfall Effluent Strategy Class EA
WW10 $ 12,340 2022-2031 completed X X X X X X X
Optimize capacity of existing Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant Outfall. 2019
Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant Stage 1 and 2 Chlorine Chamber Expansion
WW11 Construct a new chlorine contact chamber to increase the Duffin Creek Water $ 15,480 2022-2031 Schedule A X X X X X X X
Pollution Control Plant disinfection capacity.
Upper York Water Reclamation Centre Individual
Construct a new Water Reclamation Centre in East Gwillimbury to accommodate growth EA
and allow decommissioning of Holland Landing Lagoons as recommended in the completed
WW21 $ 549,940 2022-2031
2014,
X X X
Individual Class Environmental Assessment completed in 2014 (pending approval). This
project will provide an overall benefit to the Lake Simcoe watershed through the integral pending
phosphorus offsetting program component of Upper York Sewage Solutions. approval
Holland Landing Lagoon Decommissioning
WW19 Decommission Holland Landing Lagoons following commissioning of the new Water $ 1,100 2022-2031 Schedule A+ X
Reclamation Centre.
Keswick Wastewater Servicing
Class EA
WW23 Increase capacity of Keswick Water Resource Recovery Facility as recommended $ 41,820 2022-2041 completed X
in the completed Class Environmental Assessment and implement growth related 2006
upgrades at Keswick Sewage Pumping Station.
Nobleton Wastewater Servicing Class EA
WW13 Increase capacity of the Nobleton wastewater system to accommodate the population $ 21,970 2032-2041 completed X
identified in the recently completed Class Environmental Assessment. 2021

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 72
 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Table 6.1 Growth-related Water and Wastewater Projects (continued)

Municipality partially or fully serviced by this project

Estimated
Planned Environmental
expenditures
MP ID Project description implementation Assessment Town of
2022-2051 Town of Town of Town of Township City of Town of City of City of
timeframe (EA) Process Whitchurch-
(000’s) Aurora East Gwillimbury Georgina of King Markham Newmarket Richmond Hill Vaughan
Stouffville

Water and wastewater treatment (continued)

Nobleton Water Servicing
Class EA
W8 Increase Nobleton well supply capacity in coordination with wastewater treatment $ 7,600 2032-2041 completed X
expansion to accommodate the population identified in the recently completed 2021
Class Environmental Assessment.
Georgina Water System Upgrades
Class EA
W25 Expand Georgina Water Treatment Plant to its ultimate permitted capacity of $ 21,810 2032-2041 completed X X
50 million litres per day and upgrade Georgina Water System disinfection 1998
system to allow integration with York Water System.
Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant Growth Expansions
Implement several upgrades to optimize and/or expand Duffin Creek Water Pollution
WW12 Control Plant beyond the current capacity including a new outfall to accommodate $ 757,900 2032-2051 Schedule C X X X X X X X
growth in the York Durham System service area. Upgrades to be implemented in
phases and are expected to be confirmed by future planning and EA studies.
Upper York Servicing Infrastructure Expansions 1 and 2
2032-2041
WW22 Expand the Water Reclamation Centre subject to a future Class Environmental $ 428,110
2042-2051
Schedule C X X
Study to accommodate growth in East Gwillimbury and Newmarket.
Sutton Wastewater Servicing
Class EA
WW24 Expand Sutton Water Resource Recovery Facility to service growth in Sutton as rec- $ 56,320 2032-2041 completed X
ommended by the completed Class Environmental Assessment study and increase 2010
capacity of High Street and Woodriver Bend Sewage Pumping Stations.

Transmission, conveyance and pumping projects

West Vaughan Water Servicing

Phase 1 - Improve pressure district interconnection in the Woodbridge service
area prior to storage expansion. 2032-2041 Schedule A
W4 $ 25,020
2042-2051 Schedule B
X
Phase 2- Increase storage capacity in Woodbridge and Kleinburg to accommodate
growth in West Vaughan.
York Peel Feedermain Upgrade
W5 Install three pressure reducing valves along connection points to the York-Peel $ 3,400 2022-2031 Schedule A X X X X X X
Feedermain to maintain acceptable pressures within Pressure District 6 distribution
system as Peel supply increases to meet system demands.

Northeast Vaughan Water Servicing

Construct new Pressure District 8 and 9 pumping stations, two new Pressure Class EA
W6 District 8 elevated tanks and associated watermains to connect the Northeast $ 100,040 2022-2031 completed X
Vaughan urban expansion area to the existing system as recommended by the 2019
completed Northeast Vaughan Class Environmental Assessment.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 73
 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Table 6.1 Growth-related Water and Wastewater Projects (continued)

Municipality partially or fully serviced by this project

Estimated
Planned Environmental
expenditures
MP ID Project description implementation Assessment Town of
2022-2051 Town of Town of Town of Township City of Town of City of City of
timeframe (EA) Process Whitchurch-
(000’s) Aurora East Gwillimbury Georgina of King Markham Newmarket Richmond Hill Vaughan
Stouffville

Transmission, conveyance and pumping projects (continued)

Richmond Hill Langstaff Gateway Provincial Urban Growth
Centre Water Servicing Class EA
W10 Install water system connections to service the proposed urban growth centre $ 3,550 2022-2031 completed X X
in Pressure District 6 as recommended by the completed Class Environmental 2015
Assessment.

Aurora East Booster Pumping Station Upgrades

W15 Expand Aurora East Booster Pumping Station capacity including pipe upgrades and $ 11,440 2022-2031 Schedule A X X
dedication of watermains to service growth in the east area of the north system.

Orchard Heights Reservoir Inlet Upgrade

W16 Increase size of inlet and outlet piping at Orchard Heights Reservoir to facilitate $ 1,550 2022-2031 Schedule A X X X
increase of Lake Ontario water supply into communities in the north system as
demand increases.

Eagle to Kirby Pumping Station Watermain

W17 Install a new transmission main to connect Yonge Street watermain to the Glenway $ 11,950 2022-2031 Schedule A+ X X
Reservoir and facilitate filling of the reservoir as demand increases due to growth
in Newmarket Central and Newmarket West Pressure Districts.

Newmarket West Water Servicing

W18 Expand Kirby Pumping Station capacity and construct a new elevated tank and $ 28,570 2032-2041 Schedule B X X
associated watermains to service growth in the Newmarket West Pressure District.

Green Lane Leslie Street Watermain

Phase 1 - Install a new transmission main along Green Lane to service growth and
allow connection of Newmarket and East Gwillimbury delivery systems. 2022-2031
W20 $ 30,990
2032-2041
Schedule A+ X X
Phase 2 - Install a new transmission main along Leslie Street to bring additional
Lake Ontario supply as demand increases in the northeast parts of
the system.

East Gwillimbury Water Servicing

Phase 1 - Install a new transmission main to accommodate growth along
2022-2031
W21 Woodbine Avenue corridor. $ 42,820
2042-2051
Schedule A+ X
Phase 2 - Install a new transmission main Queensville Sideroad to provide
additional supply to Holland Landing.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 74
 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Table 6.1 Growth-related Water and Wastewater Projects (continued)

Municipality partially or fully serviced by this project

Estimated
Planned Environmental
expenditures
MP ID Project description implementation Assessment Town of
2022-2051 Town of Town of Town of Township City of Town of City of City of
timeframe (EA) Process Whitchurch-
(000’s) Aurora East Gwillimbury Georgina of King Markham Newmarket Richmond Hill Vaughan
Stouffville

Transmission, conveyance and pumping projects (continued)

West Vaughan Sewage Servicing
Phase 1 - Increase capacity of Humber Sewage Pumping Station and construct
a new gravity sewer to service growth in western parts of Vaughan as
recommended by the completed Class Environmental Assessment study. Class EA
2022-2031
WW2 Phase 2 - C onstruct a gravity sewer from the Kleinburg Water Resource Recovery $ 389,250
2032-2041
completed X
Facility to connect to the north end of West Vaughan Sewage Servic- 2013
ing - Phase 1 to service growth in northwest Vaughan and Kleinburg.
The projects allow decommissioning of the Kleinburg Water Resource
Recovery Facility.
Northeast Vaughan Wastewater Servicing
Class EA
WW3 Construct new gravity sewer pipe to convey flows generated in northeast Vaughan $ 171,630 2022-2031 completed X
area to the existing Langstaff Collector and York Durham Sewage System upgrades 2019
as recommended by the completed Class Environmental Assessment.
York Durham Sewage System Conveyance Optimization
Install a flow gate at the Bathurst Collector to attenuate flows during wet
WW4 weather conditions. Twin a segment of pipe conveying flows into the $ 6,560 2022-2031 Schedule A X X X X
Newmarket Sewage Pumping Station to optimize existing wastewater
conveyance capacity to service growth.
Richmond Hill Langstaff Gateway Provincial Urban Growth Centre
Wastewater Servicing Class EA
WW7 Construct gravity sewer to convey flows from Richmond Hill - Langstaff Gateway $ 15,180 2022-2031 completed X X
Regional Urban Centre to the Richmond Hill Collector as recommended by the 2015
completed Class Environmental Assessment.
Primary Trunk Sewer
WW9 Construct a new trunk sewer from the terminus of the Southeast Collector at Valley $ 228,600 2022-2031 Schedule C X X X X X X X
Farm Road to the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant to service growth in the
overall York Durham Sewage System service area.
King City Wastewater System Upgrades
Phase 1 - O ptimize capacity of King City Sewage Pumping Station to accommodate
interim growth in King City. 2022-2031
WW14 $ 47,880
2042-2051
Schedule B X
Phase 2 - E xpand King City wastewater pumping capacity and construct a new
forcemain to accommodate long term growth in King City.

Yonge Street Sewer Twinning

WW15 Increase conveyance capacity of Yonge Street Sewer to accommodate growth and $ 65,930 2022-2031 Schedule B X X X X
allow rehabilitation of existing sewer.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 75
 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Table 6.1 Growth-related Water and Wastewater Projects (continued)

Municipality partially or fully serviced by this project

Estimated
Planned Environmental
expenditures
MP ID Project description implementation Assessment Town of
2022-2051 Town of Town of Town of Township City of Town of City of City of
timeframe (EA) Process Whitchurch-
(000’s) Aurora East Gwillimbury Georgina of King Markham Newmarket Richmond Hill Vaughan
Stouffville

Transmission, conveyance and pumping projects (continued)

York Durham Sewage System Interim Servicing
Class EA
WW16 Construct a new sewage pumping station and connecting sewer to the York Durham $ 25,450 2022-2031 completed X X X
Sewage System as recommended by completed Class EA. This project allows growth 2019
before the Water Reclamation Centre is commissioned.
East Queensville Sewage Pumping Station and Forcemain
WW20 Construct a new sewage pumping station just south of Queensville Sideroad and $ 16,320 2022-2031 Schedule B X
west of Highway 404 along with forcemain connecting to the West Queensville
Sewage Pumping Station to service growth in parts of Queensville.
East Woodbridge Pumping Station Decommissioning
W3 Decommission East Woodbridge Pumping Station, subject to outcome $ 1,260 2032-2041 Schedule A+
of a repurposing study.
Vaughan Storage Expansion
Phase 1 - C onstruct first phase of a new reservoir to accommodate growth in
Pressure District 6, a key centre through which supply is delivered
to other pressure districts. 2032-2041
W7 $ 61,020
2042-2051
Schedule B X
Phase 2 - C onstruct a second phase of the new Vaughan reservoir and implement
works to expand the Pressure District 9 Vaughan system including a
new elevated tank and associated connecting watermain.
North Richmond Hill Pumping Station Decommissioning
W9 Decommission North Richmond Hill Pressure District 8 Pumping Station, $ 1,470 2032-2041 Schedule A+
subject to outcome of repurposing study.
North Markham Water Servicing
Construct new facilities and associated watermains in Pressure District 7 and connect to
the existing system. This project supports Markham urban expansion north of Elgin Mills
Road and allows implementation of the York East Water Servicing project (W13).
W11 Phase 1 - Construct a new water pumping station with 37.5 million litres per day $ 112,720 2032-2041 Schedule B X
capacity and about 9 kilometres of connecting watermain to existing
watermain at the intersection of Woodbine Avenue and Elgin Mills.
Phase 2 - C onstruct a 20 million litre reservoir and about 4.6 kilometres of
connecting watermain to the existing Elgin Mills watermain.
Stouffville Water Servicing
Expand Stouffville storage capacity to service new development. Project is expected
to implemented in phases to maximize utilization of existing infrastructure.
W12 Phase 1 - Increase capacity of Stouffville Zone 2 booster pumping station before $ 15,330 2032-2051 Schedule B X
new storage facility is introduced.
Phase 2 - C onstruct a new elevated tank and connecting watermain to provide
long term storage capacity need in the service area.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 76
 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Table 6.1 Growth-related Water and Wastewater Projects (continued)

Municipality partially or fully serviced by this project

Estimated
Planned Environmental
expenditures
MP ID Project description implementation Assessment Town of
2022-2051 Town of Town of Town of Township City of Town of City of City of
timeframe (EA) Process Whitchurch-
(000’s) Aurora East Gwillimbury Georgina of King Markham Newmarket Richmond Hill Vaughan
Stouffville

Transmission, conveyance and pumping projects (continued)

York East Water Servicing
Phase 1 - C onstruct a new pumping station at the new Markham reservoir site
(W11), a new Reservoir in Aurora and associated watermain to bring
additional Lake Ontario supply to the north water system as demand 2032-2041
W13 increases.
$ 148,530
2042-2051
Schedule B X X X
Phase 2 - C onstruct a new pumping station at the new Aurora reservoir and
associated watermain to service development on the eastern parts
of the north system as demand increases.

Holland Landing Storage Expansion

W23 Install a new elevated tank and connecting watermain to accommodate growth $ 10,340 2032-2041 Schedule B X
in Holland Landing and allow replacement of existing Holland Landing East
Elevated Tank.

West Park Heights Pumping Station and Watermain

W24 Construct a new pumping station, assumed to be located adjacent to the existing $ 47,950 2032-2041 Schedule C X X
West Park Heights Reservoir in Keswick, and associated watermain to allow inte-
gration of York and Georgina Water Systems.

Leslie Street Sewage Pumping Station and Forcemain

Phase 1 - Increase Leslie Street Sewage Pumping Station capacity. 2032-2041
WW6 $ 65,240
2042-2051
Schedule A+ X X X
Phase 2 - C onstruct a new forcemain connecting the station to downstream
York Durham Sewage System as flows increase due to growth.

North Markham Trunk Sewer

WW8 Construct approximately 2.1 kilometres new gravity sewer assumed to be located $ 43,200 2032-2041 Schedule B X
on McCowan Road from Major Mackenzie Drive East and connecting to the existing
16th Avenue Sewer.

Newmarket Diversion Sewer

WW17 Construct a new sewer to divert flows from the Newmarket Pumping Station to the $ 29,800 2032-2041 Schedule B X
Sharon Trunk Sewer as flows increase due to growth.

East Gwillimbury Sewage Pumping Station Expansions

WW18 Increase capacity of West Queensville, Second Concession and Holland $ 7,040 2032-2041 Schedule A+ X
Landing Sewage Pumping Stations to service growth. Works are expected
to be accommodated within the original building footprint.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 77
 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Table 6.1 Growth-related Water and Wastewater Projects (continued)

Municipality partially or fully serviced by this project

Estimated
Planned Environmental
expenditures
MP ID Project description implementation Assessment Town of
2022-2051 Town of Town of Town of Township City of Town of City of City of
timeframe (EA) Process Whitchurch-
(000’s) Aurora East Gwillimbury Georgina of King Markham Newmarket Richmond Hill Vaughan
Stouffville

Transmission, conveyance and pumping projects (continued)

Bloomington - Bayview Watermain

W14 Construct a new watermain along Bloomington Road from Aurora South Reservoir to $ 82,560 2042-2051 Schedule B X X X
Bayview Avenue, and along Bayview Avenue connecting Wellington Watermain.

Yonge Street Watermain

W19 Construct a new watermain on Yonge Street from Gladman Road to Green Lane to $ 46,200 2042-2051 Schedule A+ X X
service proposed intensification along the Yonge Street corridor and connect the
Newmarket Central and Holland Landing Pressure Districts.

Queensville Elevated Tank No. 2

W22 Construct a new elevated tank and connecting watermain to accommodate $ 11,290 2042-2051 Schedule B X X
growth in Queensville and Sharon, and allow replacement of the Newmarket
East Elevated Tank.

York Durham Sewage System Expansion

Continue to expand York Durham Sewage System to support new developments
including:
A new relief sewer to divert flows from the Central Collector sewershed to the pro-
WW5 posed Richmond Hill Langstaff sewer. $ 324,510 2042-2051 Schedule B X X X
Twinning a section of existing Steeles Collector Sewer to accommodate intensifica-
tion in the Leslie Street Drainage Area.
A new gravity sewer to support growth in the area serviced by Markham Collector
which is expected to reach capacity as flows increase.

Demand management and supporting programs

PROGRAM Water For Tomorrow Program $ 29,770 Ongoing None X X X X X X X X X

PROGRAM Water Master Plan Update $ 7,060 Ongoing Schedule B X X X X X X X X X
PROGRAM Water System Capacity Assessment $ 21,220 Ongoing None X X X X X X X X X
PROGRAM Inflow and Infiltration Reduction $104,170 Ongoing None X X X X X X X X X
PROGRAM Wastewater Master Plan Update $7,070 Ongoing Schedule B X X X X X X X X X
PROGRAM Wastewater System Capacity Studies $58,610 Ongoing None X X X X X X X X X

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 78
 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Figure 6.1 Long-term Water Infrastructure Plan Fox
LAKE SIMCOE
Fox
LAKE SIMCOE
LONG TERM WATER
LONG TERM WA
Island Island
Georgina Georgina
Snake
Island
Snake
Island INFRASTRUCTURE
INFRASTRUCTU
W1 Toronto Water Supply - Cost-Shared Works Island Island PLAN PLAN
Metro Road Metro Road
W2 Peel Water Supply - Cost-Shared Works !
(
!
(
North !
(
!
(
North New Infrastructure New Infrastructure
Black River Road Black River Road
East Woodbridge Pumping Station #
#
W25 #
#
#
#
W25 #
#
)#
" *X
W!( "
)
Projects 2022 - 2031 #
*X
W!( Projects 2022 - 203
W3 48 48

Decommissioning W25 W25 )#

" *X
W!( )#
"
Projects 2032 - 2041 *X
W!( Projects 2032 - 204
!
!
(
!
( #
# !
!
(
!
( #
#
W4 West Vaughan Water Servicing )# )#
Old Homestead Road Old Homestead Road
" *X
W! *X
W!

Avenue
( "

Avenue
Projects 2042 - 2051 ( Projects 2042 - 205
W5 York Peel Feedermain Upgrade Pollock Road Town of
Pollock Road Town of

ay

ay
Infrastructure Expansion Infrastructure Expansion
Georgina Georgina

sw

sw
Woodbine

Woodbine
Northeast Vaughan Water Servicing

e en

e en
" # #
W6 Glenwoods Avenue Glenwoods Avenue
"
) *
#WX !
X (
! Projects 2022 - 2031
"
) *W
" #
X(! X ! Projects 2022 - 203

Qu

Qu
"*
) #
#WX
X(! "*
Projects 2032 - 2041
) #
#WX
X(! Projects 2032 - 204

e
) W24 ) W24 Ravenshoe Road Ravenshoe Road " ! " !

Th

Th
#
#" #
#"
W7 Vaughan Storage Expansion
"*
)
" #W
# X(
X !
! "*
Projects 2042 - 2051
) #W
# X(! " X ! Projects 2042 - 205

sion Road

East TownlineRoad
W8 Nobleton Water Servicing Town of Town of
D Decommission D Decommission

East Townline
North Richmond Hill Pumping Station East East

sion
W9
Decommissioning Gwillimbury Gwillimbury Alignment to be Determined Alignment to be Det

2nd Conces

2nd Conces
# Queensville Sideroad # Queensville Sideroad Exisiting Infrastructure Exisiting Infrastructure
Richmond Hill Langstaff Gateway Provincial Urban # !
! # !
!

W10 W21 W21

Growth Centre Water Servicing #
* *W22
#
!
! Doane Road
#
* *W22
#
!
! Doane Road "
" Pumping Station "
" Pumping Station
W11 North Markham Water Servicing
" #
"
#
W23
#! ! #
!Albert Road
Mount" "
#
W23 #
#!
#
! Mount Albert Road
#
#
#
# Storage #
# Storage

Street
Street
! !
D
!

W12 Stouffville Water Servicing D

#
D
! !
#
#
D
#
!
! !!
!
#
#
!
!

! !
!

W21 W21 Water Treatment Plant Water Treatment Pla

#
* W20 Herald Road #
* W20 Herald Road
W13 York East Water Servicing (! !
!

Bathurst
!

Bathurst
W18 !
W18 !
(
! Well ! Well
Simcoe County Simcoe County #
#
W19 W20 #
#
W19 W20

Road
Road
W14 Bloomington - Bayview Watermain Davis Drive West
Town" Davis Drive West
Town" ##!## Interconnection / Interconnection /
#
Y Y
!
!
#
!
! !
!
!
9 9
#
!
#
! !
! #
!
#
!
!
W18 #
"
)
!
W18 #
"
)
! ! "
#
"
) !
!
!
## "
#
"
) !
!
!
Pressure Improvement Pressure Improveme

McCowan
McCowan
! !

of of
cession
cession

W15 Aurora East Booster Pumping Station19th

Upgrades ## #
#
Vivian Road Vivian Road
Sideroad 19th Sideroad W17 W17 48 48
Existing Watermain Existing Watermain
W16 Orchard Heights Reservoir Inlet Upgrade #
# Newmarket
!
!
#
# #
# Newmarket
#
#
!
!

Highway 27
Highway 27

12th Con
12th Con

18th Sideroad 18th Sideroad Future Urban Area* Future Urban Area*
!
! !
!

W17 Eagle to Kirby Pumping Station Watermain

!
! !
!

#
W16 #
"
# W15 #
Town of ! #
W16 #
"
# W15 #
Town of

Leslie Stree n Road

#
oad

#
* *
400
!
# 400 # Urban Area* Urban Area*
Town of Town of
!!
! !
!
! !
! !
!

Newmarket West Water Servicing "

)
" "
)
" !

Whitchurch-
!

Whitchurch-
"
) ! "
) !
Weston R

W18

treet
treet

Township Township # W13 # W13

eet
eet

*
"
) *
"
)
cession
cession

e
e
Towns and Villages* Towns and Villages
Aurora Aurora##

Ninth Lin
Ninth Lin
Westo

et
t
Stouffville Stouffville

Keele Str
Keele Str

Dufferin S
Dufferin S

of King

Leslie Stre
W19 Yonge Street Watermain of King # W14
#
" # W14
#
"
#
#
Area within ORMCP conditional Area within ORMCP
# " " ##
10th Con
10th Con

15th Sideroad
# #
# 15th Sideroad ##
W20 Green Lane Leslie Street Watermain #
# #
#
Bloomington Road
#
# #
#
Bloomington Road upon amendments to Ontario upon amendments
#
# #
#
!#
"
#
"
!
404
!!
404
#
"
!
!#
"
!
!
Regulation 140/02** Regulation 140/02**
#
# !!
!
#
# !
Bethesda Sideroad
!
!
Bethesda Sideroad
W21 East Gwillimbury Water Servicing "! ( ! " (! #
# #
# Road Road

Avenue
Avenue
! !
!
(
!
!! #
# !
!
!
(
! #
#
! W8 !
(
#
!
(
W8 W13 # W13
W22 Queensville Elevated Tank No. 2 "
# "
#
)#*#" #
" Highway Highway
City of ") #* Stouffville Road # Stouffville Road "
#
# City ofW12
* W11 " !
W11
! !
!

#
* # W11 "
*W7W11 "
! !
# # Municipal Boundary Municipal Boundary
! !
#"
"))" )"
))"# W12
W23 Holland Landing Storage ExpansionKirby Road W6* #*W7 #
"#
W6 # #
)
" "
W12
Richmond * Richmond #
"

#
W12

Warden
# " Kirby Road
) #)
" Warden #
*
19th Avenue
#
*
19th Avenue Regional Boundary Regional Boundary
W11 D W11
West Park Heights Pumping Station and Watermain #
# #
D
"
D# W9
Hill #
# #
# W9
"
D Hill

Road
W7 #

Road
W24 #
# W4
*
" W7 #
* #
" W4
*
"
# *
Elgin Mills Road East Elgin Mills Road East
"
) #"
# " "
) #
" #
# *This
*This reflects the Draft 2022 Regional Official reflects the Draft 2022 Regional O
Plan,
" "
# " "
# #
Highway 50

"
Highway 50

"
!
! # "
!! # # #
City of City of

McCowan
McCowan

Road
Road

currently under review through the Municipalcurrently under review through the Mun
Georgina Water System Upgrades City of Major Mackenzie Drive West City of Major Mackenzie Drive West
Woodbine Jane Street

W25
t

Comprehensive Review and is subject

Comprehensive Review and is subject to change
Jane Stree

"
" "
"
Vaughan Vaughan Markham Markham based on Regional Official Plan approval. based on Regional Official Plan approv

Kennedy
Kennedy

enue enue

Avenue
Avenue

Rutherford Road Rutherford Road 16th Av 16th Av

WX
X W W5 X
W WX
X W W5 X
W " " **Urban designations are conditional upon **Urban designations are conditional upo
Peel Region
Peel Region

amendments to the ORM designations. amendments to the ORM designations

W4 W
X Langstaff Road W W10
W4
X W Langstaff RoadHighway 7 X W10
W Highway 7

Durham Region
Durham Region
Woodbine
X
# W #
X W
X
et

#
et

#
# # " " 0 5 10 0 5 1
Yonge Stre
Yonge Stre

Highway 7 Highway 7 14th Avenue 14th Avenue

V
W4 W4 # #
#
427 427
# Kilometres Kilometres
407 407

W3 D
"
D W3 D
"
D Steeles Avenue East Steeles Avenue East
W2 W2
City of Toronto W1 City of Toronto W1
Produced by: The Regional Municipality of York, Produced by: The Regional Municipality of York,
Environmental Services Department, Environmental Services Department,
Infrasturcture Asset Management Branch Infrasturcture Asset Management Branch
© Copyright, The Regional Municipality of York 2022© Copyright, The Regional Municipality of York 2022
© Copyright, The Regional Municipalities of Durham©andCopyright, The Regional
Peel, County of Municipalities of Durham a
Simcoe, City of Toronto Simcoe, City of Toronto
© Queen’s Printer for Ontario 2003-2022 , Includes © Queen’s and
Greenbelt Printer
Oakfor Ontario 2003-2022 , Includes Gr
LAKE ONTARIO LAKE
RidgesONTARIO
Moraine Boundaries and Water Features Ridges Moraine Boundaries and Water Features

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 79
 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Figure 6.2 Long-term Wastewater Infrastructure Plan Fox Fox
Island LAKE SIMCOE
Island
Georgina
LAKE SIMCOE
Georgina
LONG TERM LONG TERM
Snake Island
Snake Island WASTEWATER WASTEWATER
WW1 Peel System Cost-Shared Works
Island
Metro Road
Island INFRASTRUCTURE
INFRASTRUCTU
West Vaughan Sewage Servicing Metro Road
WW2 " North
WW24 "" )
"
)
"
Black River Road
North
WW24 " "")
"
) Black River Road PLAN PLAN

Avenue
!

Avenue
" !
!
(
!
( !
!
!
(
!
(
New Infrastructure New Infrastructure
)
"
)
48
"
)
"
)

Northeast Vaughan Wastewater Servicing

48

WW3 )#
" *X
W!( "
)
Projects 2022 - 2031 #
*X
W!( Projects 2022 - 2031

Woodbine

Woodbine
York Durham Sewage System Conveyance Optimization )#
WW4
Old Homestead Road Old Homestead Road
" *X
W!( )#
"
Projects 2032 - 2041 *X
W!( Projects 2032 - 2041
Pollock Road Town of
Pollock Road Town of
WW5 York Durham Sewage System Expansion "!
"
)!
(
!
(
WW23 )!
"!
(
Georgina
WW23
"!
(

Georgina )#
" *X
W!( )#
"
Projects 2042 - 2051 *X
W!( Projects 2042 - 2051
Glenwoods Avenue Glenwoods Avenue
Infrastructure Expansion Infrastructure Expansion
Leslie Street Sewage Pumping Station and Forcemain
WW6 Ravenshoe Road
"*#
" " Ravenshoe Road
)"#WX(! X ! Projects 2022 - 2031
"
) #W
*
" #
X(
! X ! Projects 2022 - 2031

WW7
Richmond Hill Langstaff Gateway Provincial Urban Growth Town of Town of "*
)
"
#W
# X(
X !
! Projects 2032 - 2041
"
)"
#W
* X(
# X! ! Projects 2032 - 2041
" #
Centre Wastewater Servicing * "* #W

East Townline
#WX

East Townline
WW22
East East "
) !
X (
! Projects 2042 - 2051
) # X(
! " X ! Projects 2042 - 2051
WW22
WW8
WW9
North Markham Trunk Sewer
Primary Trunk Sewer
!
(
!
((
!
WW21 Gwillimbury
Queensville Sideroad
!
(
!
( (
!
WW21 Gwillimbury
Queensville Sideroad
D Decommission
D Decommission

"
)
"
) "
) WW20 "
)
"
) "
) WW20 Alignment to be Determined Alignment to be Dete
Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant WW19 D
!
! WW18 Doane Road WW19 D
!
! !
!WW18 Doane Road !
! Exisiting Infrastructure Exisiting Infrastructure
WW10
Outfall Effluent Strategy WW18 "
)
"
"
)
Mount Albert Road
WW18 "
)
"
"
)
" Mount Albert Road " " " Pumping Station " "
Pumping Station
# #

Street
Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant Stage 1 and 2

Street
WW11 WW18 " "
)
"
) WW18 "
)
" # Equalization Tank # Equalization Tank
Chlorine Chamber Expansion
"
)
WW17 Herald Road WW17 Herald Road Water Resource Water Resource
!

Bathurst
!

Bathurst
Duffin Creek Water Pollution ControlSimcoe
Plant County Simcoe "
"
)
)
# "
"
)
)
# Recovery Facility Recovery Facility
DavisCounty
""
# ""
WW4 # WW4

Road
WW12

Road
Growth Expansions Drive West
Town Davis Drive West Town
" !
!
9

" !
" !
9

of
Y Flow Control Gate
Y Flow Control Gate

McCowan
of "

McCowan
cession

"
cession
WW13 Nobleton Wastewater Servicing 19th Sideroad 19th Sideroad Vivian Road Vivian Road Wastewater Main Wastewater Main
Newmarket Newmarket
48 48

WW14 King City Wastewater System Upgrades

Highway 27

Future Urban Area*

Highway 27
Future Urban Area*
12th Con

12th Con

18th Sideroad 18th Sideroad

#
"
# #
"
"
#
WW15 Yonge Street Sewer Twinning Urban Area* Urban Area*
oad

oad
400 400
Town of Town of
TownshipTown of Whitchurch- Town of
Weston R

Weston R
treet

WW16 York Durham Sewage System Interim Servicing Township Towns and Villages*

treet
Towns and Villages*
Whitchurch-
eet

eet
cession

e
cession

e
Ninth Lin

Ninth Lin
King Aurora
Keele Str

Aurora

Keele Str
"
Dufferin S

) "

Dufferin S
) Area within ORMCP conditional Area within ORMCP
WW17 Newmarket Diversion Sewer of King ofWW16 Stouffville
WW16 Stouffville upon amendments to Ontario upon amendments to
10th Con

10th Con

et

et
15th Sideroad 15th Sideroad Bloomington Road Bloomington Road
East Gwillimbury Sewage Pumping Station Expansions

Leslie Stre

Leslie Stre
Regulation 140/02** Regulation 140/02**
WW18 WW14 404 WW14 404
Bethesda Sideroad Bethesda Sideroad Road Road
"

Avenue
) "

Avenue
!
!
!
( "
)
"
) "
)!!
!!
(
)
"
"
)
"
) )
"
) )
"

Highway
!
(
WW19 Holland Landing Lagoon Decommissioning WW13 Highway
(
WW13 WW15 Stouffville RoadWW15 Stouffville Road

Road

Road
Municipal Boundary
t

t Municipal Boundary
Jane Stree

Jane Stree
East Queensville Sewage Pumping Station and Forcemain
WW20
Warden
Regional Boundary

Warden
Kirby Road Regional Boundary

Kennedy
Kirby Road

Kennedy
19th Avenue 19th Avenue

City of Cityof
of

Road

Road
WW21 Upper York Water Reclamation Centre City City of Elgin Mills Road East Elgin Mills Road East *This reflects the Draft 2022 Regional Official
*ThisPlan,
reflects the Draft 2022 Regional Of
Vaughan Vaughan City of City of
currently under review through the Municipal
currently under review through the Mun
Highway 50

Highway 50

WW22 Upper York Servicing Infrastructure Expansions 1 and

!2 ! Richmond Richmond McCowan

McCowan
!
D ! Comprehensive Review and is subject toComprehensive
change Review and is subject t
D
WW23 Keswick Wastewater Servicing Hill Markham Hill
WW8 Markham WW8
based on Regional Official Plan approval.based on Regional Official Plan approv
th Avenue 16th Avenue
Avenue

Avenue
16
WW3 Rutherford Road WW3 Rutherford Road **Urban designations are conditional upon
**Urban designations are conditional upo
WW24 Sutton Wastewater Servicing
Peel Region

amendments to the ORM designations. amendments to the ORM designations

Peel Region

" Langstaff Road WW7

" Langstaff Road Highway 7 WW7 0 5 10 0 5 10

Durham Region
Highway 7

Durham Region
WW5
Woodbine

WW5

Woodbine
WW2 WW2 14th Avenue
Highway 7 Highway 7 14th Avenue Kilometres Kilometres
WW5 WW5

V
427 427
407 407

"
)
" "
) "
)
"
) ) East
Steeles Avenue
"
) Steeles Avenue East
WW1 " "
"
)
" WW1 W
X "
)
" W
X
WW4 WW5 WW6 WW4 WW5 WW6
City of Toronto City of Toronto
Produced by: The Regional Municipality of York, Produced by: The Regional Municipality of York,
WW9 WW9 Environmental Services Department, Environmental Services Department,
Infrasturcture Asset Management Branch Infrasturcture Asset Management Branch
© Copyright, The Regional Municipality of York 2022© Copyright, The Regional Municipality of York 2022
© Copyright, The Regional Municipalities of Durham©and Peel, County
Copyright, of
The Regional Municipalities of Durham and
WW12 !
!
(
!
!
(
(
!
WW11 !
( WW12 !
!
(
!
!
(
(
!
WW11!
( Simcoe, City of Toronto Simcoe, City of Toronto
© Queen’s Printer for Ontario 2003-2022 , Includes ©
Greenbelt
Queen’sand Oakfor Ontario 2003-2022 , Includes Gree
Printer
WW10 LAKE ONTARIO WW10 LAKE
RidgesONTARIO
Moraine Boundaries and Water Features Ridges Moraine Boundaries and Water Features

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 80

Lake Ontario Lake Ontario

6.1 R EGIONAL PROJECTS TO ADDRESS REGION-WIDE SERVICING NEEDS

6.1 REGIONAL PROJECTS TO ADDRESS REGION-WIDE SERVICING NEEDS

Several projects are particularly significant to the infrastructure system as a whole because they are critical to
support Region-wide growth to 2051.
The York Water System services most of York Region, supplying drinking water to every local municipality
except the Town of Georgina. Cost-shared projects with the City of Toronto and Peel Region identified in the
2016 Master Plan have been carried forward in this update to continue to increase supply of Lake Ontario
water to the York Water System and support growth to 2051.
The York Durham Sewage System, which similarly collects wastewater flows from all local municipalities except
the Town of Georgina, is expected to reach capacity and require significant investment within the 2051 planning
horizon. Various projects to upgrade this system support most of the growth in York Region, and include:
Substantial new work to expand the Duffin Creek plant beyond what was foreseen in the
2016 Master Plan given the longer planning horizon and twinning of the Primary Trunk
Sewer that brings flows into the plant

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 81
6.2 C ITIES OF MARKHAM, RICHMOND HILL AND VAUGHAN

6.2 CITIES OF MARKHAM, RICHMOND HILL AND VAUGHAN

The southern cities of Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill are serviced by the most mature sections of the
Region’s York Durham Sewage System and York Water System. These systems also extend to serve communi-
ties further north, including the towns of Aurora, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury and Whitchurch-Stouffville and
King City in the Township of King.
By 2051, the cities of Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill are expected to be home to about three-quar-
ters of the Region’s two million residents. To accommodate this growth, the Regional system will continue to
supply Lake Ontario-based drinking water through the York Water System and return the related wastewater
flows using the York Durham Sewage System.
Large infrastructure projects will be needed to connect expanded urban areas in west Vaughan, northeast
Vaughan and north Markham to Regional water and wastewater systems, with timing of construction subject
to future planning studies. Advancing the North Markham Water and Wastewater Servicing Environmental
Assessment to 2024 addresses concerns raised by Markham and Stouffville. This advanced timeline enables a
deeper analysis of service area population forecasts while keeping timing of construction in the second 10-year
of the Master Plan until detailed work is complete in the Environmental Assessment. More localized upgrades
will address intensification, including in the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway area and growth areas in the
City of Vaughan. The plan also identifies water expansion projects to support system resiliency for the entire
York Water System.
The plan includes decommissioning the Kleinburg Water Resource Recovery Facility post 2036 and connecting the
wastewater system in this area to west Vaughan infrastructure, in line with a completed environmental assessment.
York Regional Council passed a number of motions at a special meeting on October 21, 2021. One of the mo-
tions designated a portion of lands west of the Little Rouge as residential. The infrastructure plan developed
for this Master Plan Update is sufficient to accommodate the growth associated with approval of this motion.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 82
6.3 T OWNSHIP OF KING

6.3 TOWNSHIP OF KING

Although forecast to grow to approximately 50,000 residents by 2051, Township of King is expected to remain
the smallest municipality in the Region. In King City, existing drinking water supplies through York Water
System are expected to be adequate to meet growth needs to 2051 and wastewater needs will be addressed
through phased upgrades to the King City wastewater system, which pumps flows into the greater York
Durham Sewage System.
In Nobleton, increased servicing needs for wastewater and water to support expansion to 10,800 people
have been identified for the stand-alone water resource recovery facility and groundwater wells through the
recently completed environmental assessment. Servicing requirements for growth in Nobleton beyond 10,800
people was considered (see Appendix A.7) and was deemed not feasible due to provincial policy constraints
and very high costs for further expansions/upgrades to the system.
One of the motions passed by York Region Council at its special meeting on October 21,2021 redistributed
population growth of roughly 3,200 people from whitebelt/future urban areas – agricultural and rural lands
outside settlements and the Greenbelt – as previously planned, to existing settlement areas in Township of
King. The Township of King will work with the Region to identify any additional servicing needs related to this
redistribution through ongoing monitoring processes.

6.4 TOWN OF WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE

A combination of Lake Ontario water through the York Water System and groundwater wells in Stouffville will
continue to meet drinking water needs in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, which is expected to grow to
over 88,000 residents by 2051. Additional capacity will be provided by:
Optimizing supply and storage of groundwater from wells, in line with a completed
environmental assessment
Eventually expanding the pumping station bringing Lake Ontario water into the
Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and adding a new storage facility
Wastewater flows will continue to be conveyed through the York Durham Sewage System for treatment at the
Duffin Creek plant, with no new projects required in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville.
One of the motions passed by York Region Council at its special meeting on October 21,2021 included adding
areas in Gormley and Bethesda within the urban boundary to address growth interest.
Servicing of South Gormley Employment Expansion is contingent upon removal of provincial regulatory
restrictions. As this growth is anticipated in the later years of the forecast post-2041, conceptual servicing
options are outlined in Appendix A.7 that can implemented should provincial regulations change.
Servicing of Bethesda is also contingent upon removal of provincial regulatory restrictions. Depending on the
magnitude of growth, a review of the wastewater system capacity would be appropriate to ensure existing
Regional sewers could accommodate additional flows. No additional water upgrades beyond those already
identified for the community of Stouffville are anticipated to be required.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 83
6.5 T OWNS OF AURORA, EAST GWILLIMBURY AND NEWMARKET

6.5 TOWNS OF AURORA, EAST GWILLIMBURY AND NEWMARKET

For York Region communities in the Lake Huron watershed, expansion of the servicing system to support
growth must give special consideration to a limit on the transfer of drinking water across watershed boundar-
ies and the requirement to balance returning wastewater flows, as described in Section 2.6.
All three communities are expected to grow and together have approximately 328,000 residents by 2051 or
about 16% of the Region’s total population. The greatest expansion is planned in the Town of East Gwillim-
bury, where population will more than quadruple to reach over 127,000 people.
This growth will require additional drinking water, which will be provided by increasing supply from the cur-
rent sources — Lake Ontario and groundwater — and adding a small amount of new Lake Simcoe supply:
Several projects will bring more Lake Ontario water north into the towns of Aurora, Newmarket and
East Gwillimbury

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 84
6.6 T OWN OF GEORGINA
In addition, using the One Water principle of infrastretching, the Region in partnership with local munici-
palities and developers have found opportunities through inflow and infiltration reduction works to provide
servicing capacity in constrained areas. Recently, inflow and infiltration works in the Town of Newmarket have
supported non-profit housing initiatives. The Region will continue to look for opportunities to leverage inflow
and infiltration reduction in other municipalities with capacity constraints to generate capacity to support
non-profit housing initiatives.

6.6 TOWN OF GEORGINA

The Regional system will continue to supply the Town of Georgina, which is expected to roughly double in
population to approximately 70,000 residents, with water from Lake Simcoe and return wastewater flows
achieved via the Keswick and Sutton water resource recovery facilities.
Consistent with previous master plans, expansion of the Georgina Water Treatment Plant in line with the
completed environmental assessment will provide increased water supply from Lake Simcoe.
The additional water supply will also support growth in the northern portions of the York Water System
to build further resiliency in water supply sources.
As previous master plans have noted, the Keswick and Sutton water resource recovery facilities will be expanded
as determined by completed environmental assessments and will service planned growth. Flows to the plants
continue to be monitored, and once flows reach 70% of capacity, consideration will be given to include facility
expansions in the 10-year capital plan, subject to available funding at that time. In addition, some upgrades to
sewage pumping stations in Sutton will be needed to address constraints in the conveyance network.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 85
6.7 U PDATED COST ESTIMATES

6.7 UPDATED COST ESTIMATES

The estimated cost of the infrastructure plan, including supporting programs, is an important input into the
Region’s Development Charges Bylaw. Costing models are used to develop conceptual estimates for the
Master Plan. These models leverage the best available information from past and recent Regional projects to
produce unit cost rates for various components that make up identified projects. Costs associated with engi-
neering and technical studies, contingencies and/or project-specific requirements are also factored in. Further
information on the cost estimation methodology is available in Appendix A.6.
The estimated cost to implement the infrastructure identified in the preferred servicing strategy is $4.5 billion
and this total is broken down in Table 6.2 below.

Table 6.2 Summary of Master Plan Expenditures for Growth Capital Projects ($000’s) to 2051

Year
System Total ($000’s)
2022-2031 2032-2041 2042-2051
Water $273,640 $452,880 $252,950 $979,470
Wastewater $1,461,010 $1,042,100 $1,008,390 $3,511,500
Total $1,734,650 $1,494,980 $1,261,340 $4,490,970

Wastewater infrastructure makes up more than three-quarters of total costs. Substantial expansion of treat-
ment capacity and the wastewater pipe network is needed. In comparison, water infrastructure and treatment
capacity to service long-term growth are largely in place now, although additional water infrastructure is
required to address specific constraints and growth areas.
Costs are highest in the first 10-year period from 2022-2031 because the proposed Upper York Water Rec-
lamation Centre is planned to be completed during this timeframe (pending provincial approvals). Projects
(like West and Northeast Vaughan Infrastructure) underway to connect expanded urban areas in the City of
Vaughan to existing systems also represent a significant share of costs in this first decade.
Investment needs will continue into the following decades as the York Durham Sewage System, which handles
the bulk of the Region’s wastewater, is reaching capacity. Major works will focus on expanding its two com-
ponents, the Duffin Creek plant and related sewer network. Other projects will expand and add to water and
wastewater infrastructure to service communities in the Lake Simcoe watershed.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 6.0 THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 86
7.0 IMPLEMENTING
THE PLAN
7.1 DELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
7.2 ACHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 87
7.1 D ELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

7.1 DELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

BUDGET AND CAPITAL PLAN
The Master Plan is prepared with the best currently available knowledge and information and is intended to
guide actions and decisions at a high level.
Once the Master Plan is completed, the preferred strategy and associated infrastructure plan are carried out
through projects undertaken as part of the York Region 10-year capital plan. The 10-year plan includes growth
projects identified in the Master Plan and renewal projects to maintain asset condition as identified in the
Asset Management Plan.
The 10-year capital plan is updated annually. As well as rolling forward one year, the updated plan responds
to such other factors as new financial constraints, delays or scope changes in project delivery, population
increases or growth patterns that differ from forecast, and changes in asset management needs informed by
condition assessments.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS
The municipal class environmental assessment process sets out the scope and level of investigation for different
types of projects based on the nature of a project and potential environmental effects. Projects are classified into
different schedules that contain descriptions of proposed works. Schedule B and C projects require project-specific
class environmental assessments, following the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act. An alternative
process are full or individual environmental assessments under Part II of the Act for large scale projects that are
not capable of being addressed by the municipal class environmental assessment process.
Project-specific environmental assessments provide a detailed inventory of relevant environmental conditions
and assess potential impacts. The process includes consultation with Indigenous peoples, regulatory agencies
and the public. Where applicable, measures to avoid or mitigate impacts are identified. Through this process,
project needs and assumptions made in the Master Plan are re-evaluated and defined in further detail and a
preferred solution is identified.
As discussed in Section 2.6, several changes are in progress to the environmental assessment process set out
by the Environmental Assessment Act. As these changes come into effect, York Region will adapt how it under-
takes projects to remain in compliance with the Act.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 88
7.1 D ELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

LONG-TERM FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Long-term financial sustainability of the water and wastewater system is driven by the total cost of providing
services. Managing these costs is critical so services remain affordable to residents and businesses.
With new infrastructure, acquisition costs often receive more attention than ongoing costs of operation, repair
and renewal. While acquisition costs can be substantial, ongoing costs over the entire useful life of an asset
are generally higher. New growth-related assets will need to be replaced eventually. As well, the Region has
ongoing costs related to agreements with partner municipalities. Figure 7.1 shows all of these costs of servicing,
as well as how they are funded.

Figure 7.1 - Total Cost of Servicing

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 89
7.1 D ELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Acquisition Costs
The estimated cost of acquiring new infrastructure identified in this Master Plan update is $4.5 billion. Expected
timing of investments is shown in Figure 7.2. Together with remaining capacity in the existing system, this
new infrastructure will support growth to 2051.

Figure 7.2 - Estimated Costs to Acquire Growth-related Infrastructure

300
Upper York Water Duffin Creek Growth Duffin Creek Growth and
Reclamation Centre, Expansion, Upper York York Durham Sewage
West and Northeast Servicing Infrastructure System Expansion
250 Vaughan Servicing Expansions 1 and 2,
North Markham Servicing

200
Expenditures ($ millions)

150

100

50

0
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035
2036
2037
2038
2039
2040
2041
2042
2043
2044
2045
2046
2047
2048
2049
2050
2051
Wastewater (2021 MP) Water (2021 MP) 2016 MP Index

Note: All costs are expressed in 2020 dollars and do not account for inflation

As noted in Section 6.7, wastewater components of the infrastructure plan make up most of the investment
needed. Peaks in the graph reflect major project expenditures to implement the Upper York Water Reclamation
Centre, Duffin Creek plant expansions and servicing urban expansion areas.
Expenditures are weighted in the first 10 years and, to a lesser degree between 2032 and 2041, as key systems
need to be expanded or improved so that servicing is in place to support growth in later years.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 90
7.1 D ELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Compared to the previous Master Plan, this update includes over a billion dollars of additional infrastructure
to support the extended planning horizon to 2051. Costs were updated for projects carried forward from the
2016 Master Plan, to account for inflation and changes to scope and sizing, which contributed to the higher
cost of the infrastructure program. To provide servicing to 2051, a few large projects are required including:
Water Reclamation Centre Expansion 2 - estimated cost over $200 million
Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant Expansions - estimated cost over $500 million
York Durham Sewage System Conveyance Expansion - estimated cost approximately $325 million
Plus a few additional smaller projects including York East Water Servicing and King City
Wastewater - estimated cost over $150 million

Ongoing Costs
As new infrastructure components are added to the existing water and wastewater asset base, they increase
the Region’s ongoing costs. As shown in Figure 7.1, ongoing costs include both day-to-day operating costs
and renewal costs.
New infrastructure contributes to higher day-to-day operating costs as additional assets will require energy
and chemical inputs, staffing and routine maintenance. Another source of future operating costs to support
growth will also come from purchased services through the Region’s long-standing servicing agreements with
neighbouring regions and the City of Toronto. These purchased services include water services provided by
Peel Region and the City of Toronto, a wastewater service agreement with Peel Region and the co-ownership
and operating agreements with Durham Region for the York Durham Sewage System primary system
including the Duffin Creek plant.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 91
7.1 D ELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Figure 7.3 shows expected operating costs associated with both the Region’s existing system and the new water
and wastewater infrastructure needed to support growth. The area in blue shows the incremental increase in
operating costs as more assets are brought online to service growing communities. Operating costs associated
with the existing asset base shown in green are also expected to increase over time in pace with inflation.

Figure 7.3 Operating Cost of Water and Wastewater Systems

Millions

$600

$500

$400

$300

$200

$100

0
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035
2036
2037
2038
2039
2040
2041
2042
2043
2044
2045
2046
2047
2048
2049
2050
2051
Existing Assets Master Plan Growth Infrastructure

Note: Dollar amounts include inflation

As assets age, they will need to be rehabilitated and eventually replaced. This spending is known as renewal
costs and over the past 5 years, has averaged about $100 million annually. Together, existing and new assets
will require more than $20 billion in renewal costs over the next 100 years.
As shown in Figure 7.4, water and wastewater renewal needs are expected to be lower in the near term as the
Region’s water and wastewater systems are still relatively young. As the new infrastructure identified in this
Master Plan ages, incremental renewal costs are expected to increase over time as different components
come due for renewal. The Region uses a 100-year time frame for renewal needs that reflects the long life
of most major water and wastewater assets. Together, existing and new assets will require more than
$20 billion in renewal costs over the next 100 years.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 92
7.1 D ELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Figure 7.4 Estimated Cost of Renewal for Water and Wastewater Assets Over the Next 100 Years

3000

2500
Expenditures ($ millions)

2000

1500

1000

500

0
2022-2031 2032-2041 2042-2051 2052-2061 2062-2071 2072-2081 2082-2091 2092-2101 2102-2111 2112-2121

Existing System Master Plan Growth Infrastructure

Note: Dollar amounts are before inflation

Funding
The Region follows provincial requirements and industry best practice in funding the costs of water and
wastewater services.
York Region’s costs to acquire water and wastewater assets to meet growth needs are primarily funded
by development charge revenue, as discussed in Section 4.3. Development charges are collected from
developers to support growth-related infrastructure provided by the municipality.
As recommended by industry groups and other authorities, user rates pay for the full costs of providing ongoing
services. Full costs are made up of day-to-day operating expenses and larger, more sporadic costs to rehabilitate
and replace assets. The latter are covered by a share of user rate revenue that goes each year into asset replace-
ment reserves. The Region’s Water and Wastewater Financial Sustainability Plan explains how user rates fully
fund capital needs without the use of debt in a manner that is fair to both current and future generations.
Financial sustainability of water and wastewater systems is not just about having the upfront capital to build
assets but also being able to pay ongoing costs. Should anticipated growth not be realized, the Region may
face two financial pressures: reduced collections of development charges and lower-than-forecast revenues
from end users. For this reason, the Region will continue to leverage existing infrastructure systems as much as
possible and more tightly align pacing of new capital projects with actual growth, as discussed in Section 4.3.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 93
7.1 D ELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Considering Total Cost of Servicing to Make Better Decisions
Decisions about the type and design of an asset used to provide service can have a profound impact on costs
over its entire useful life. This is an important aspect of infrastructure planning and implementation. By the
time infrastructure is commissioned, up to 95% of the opportunity to influence or reduce these costs has
already passed.
The Master Plan provides the first key opportunity to minimize these costs. In evaluating potential alternative
strategies to service planned growth, it considers both the upfront acquisition cost and ongoing costs. The
Master Plan is also the first point for deciding whether new assets are required, what types of new assets
should be considered, where they are needed and when they need to be built or acquired.
In moving from master planning to implementing specific projects, the Region will make the next level of
decisions that influence total costs. These decisions around design elements like technology or material or
location of assets for ease of access must balance financial considerations with technical, reliability, safety
and other needs.

MONITORING AND ADAPTING

This Master Plan provides a high-level roadmap for delivering servicing over the long term by determining
the need for future infrastructure projects and supporting programs using the best available information
and understanding. Over time, assumptions need to be monitored. Updates and course corrections will
happen as things change or better information becomes available.

Potential Sources of Change from Plan

The further a forecast looks into the future, the higher the level of uncertainty. Over the next 30 years,
growth patterns will continue to evolve and servicing needs may change as a result.
In particular, the pace of high-density development is very likely to increase over time in response to market
demand. The exact location and timing of these elements of growth are uncertain, as are its impacts.
Minister’s Zoning Orders can bring additional uncertainty to growth plans as they are sometimes approved
without local or Regional input, which means infrastructure plans may not reflect increased service population.
Where approval is given through a Minister’s Zoning Order, it will be out of sync with planned services in the
expected time frame because the Master Plan did not foresee the related development.
Aside from growth happening differently than envisioned, infrastructure projects are conceptual at this
stage. Thus, implementation might be more complex and timing of delivery longer than originally
considered. The Region might also face fiscal constraints that could require changes to future
infrastructure identified in the plan as the Region continues to grow.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 94
7.1 D ELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Ways of Monitoring and Adapting
One Water principles were adopted to guide the decision-making process of the Master Plan and will continue
to be instrumental in the ongoing monitoring and adaptation during implementation.
One Water’s holistic approach provides a framework for adaptive management through:
Integration, which means creating synergies and increasing efficiency in systems by closely
monitoring the effects of demand management and asset management initiatives
Innovation, which involves exploring new concepts and ideas throughout implementation to
promote cost-efficiency and environmental sustainability
Infrastretching, which maximizes useful capacity and life of the existing system and established
long-term servicing agreements
Figure 7.5 shows the range of programs, plans, analyses and activities in the Environmental Services
department and across the Region that support adaptation to changing conditions.

Figure 7.5 Integrated Approach to Water and Wastewater Service Delivery

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 95
7.1 D ELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Closely monitoring available capacity in the infrastructure system and development activity enables the
Region to coordinate servicing capacity with growth/development, as the province requires municipalities
at a minimum to provide a three-year supply of residential units. Demand management programs to encourage
water conservation and reduce inflow and infiltration help make more capacity available in the Regional system.
The Region’s proactive management of water and wastewater servicing capacity will effectively support
development needs while minimizing risks associated with over-extending the infrastructure system.
Three key elements of proactive capacity management include:
Modeling to understand available system capacity and near-term restrictions
Monitoring including both flow monitoring and allocation tracking
Coordinated management of capacity assignment and continued refinement of infrastructure
plans as needed and where feasible when development needs deviate from master plans
The 10-year capital plan sets out sequencing of projects/programs to meet growth and asset management
needs. The capital plan is reviewed each year as part of the budget, which provides an opportunity to
recalibrate plans to reflect changing circumstances. Shifting circumstances considered in capital plan
updates include financial pressures, changes to projects in implementation and coordination with other
projects including asset management works or infrastretching and optimization initiatives. Recalibrating
inevitably involves trade-offs. Within a fixed budget, adding, advancing or expanding a project means
something else has to be reduced or removed, and related spending may never be recouped.

Limitations
While the Region strives for flexibility in implementing infrastructure, there are limits on its ability to accom-
modate unexpected circumstances:
Large Regional infrastructure projects take considerable time: seven years from plan to completion
is typical, but larger projects can take more than a decade
The size of projects means that they must be timed appropriately; expanding or adding infrastruc-
ture earlier than planned can have both financial and operational consequences, the latter because
of such potential impacts as poor water quality
Infrastretching has its limits; pushing existing assets too far beyond their capacity can increase
operating risks and may reduce the level of service to existing users beyond acceptable limits
Prolonged delays in receiving provincial approvals result in major costs and risks that the Region
cannot reasonably plan for; this Master Plan update continues to consider the Water Reclamation
Centre a key component of long-term servicing for the three municipalities in the Upper York area;
should the province render a decision requiring a different direction, there would be numerous
implications including considerations outside of this Master Plan update

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 96
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

These factors underscore the need to continually seek the right balance — between costs, growth patterns
and the needs of existing customers. Monitoring growth, system capacity and evolving circumstances are key
to adapting service delivery to needs as they change.
Over the next 30 years, as growth and development patterns become clearer, municipal comprehensive
reviews and master plan updates will provide several opportunities to recalibrate the water and wastewater
servicing plan. In addition, timing of delivery can be adjusted through the budget process.

7.2 ACHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

The Region considers One Water the best approach for managing water resources wisely because it is based
on understanding and leveraging the natural water cycle. This approach strives to make the best use of
every source of water, including water that has passed through municipal systems. One Water can provide
innovative solutions to complex problems that are effective and benefit communities and the environment
while costing less than traditional approaches. It also helps minimize use of other inputs, including energy, to
mitigate climate change impacts.
Ongoing collaboration with key partners like the conservation authorities and local municipalities is key to
advancing One Water using its principles of integration, innovation and infrastretching. With its broad impacts
and influences, One Water is woven throughout the sections below, which touch on existing and potential new
initiatives to address water challenges and opportunities. The Region will continue integrating One Water into
its approaches to planning and delivering solutions to help define a sustainable future.

THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND INNOVATION,

MAKES THE BEST
POSSIBLE USE OF WATER FROM EVERY SOURCE
TO SUSTAIN HEALTHY PEOPLE,
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES AND A
HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 97
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

DEMAND MANAGEMENT
Long-Term Water Conservation Strategy
Demand management plays an integral role in planning the Region’s water and wastewater infrastructure.
Managing water demand through water conservation and efficiency adds real capacity to existing and future
infrastructure systems, in turn reducing the amount of energy consumed and GHG emissions released and is a
prime example of the One Water principle of infrastretching.
A September 2021 update to the Region’s Long-Term Water Conservation Strategy identified four overarching
objectives:
1. Promote the responsible use of water as a resource
2. Apply a One Water approach to enhance water system sustainability and promote efficiency
3. Reduce water consumption as population increases for sustainable long-term servicing
4. Be a water efficiency and conservation influencer for residents, the industry and regulatory partners
The strategy’s five program areas focus on cost-effective ways to realize long-term water savings:
1. Support Regional and local cities and towns’ efforts to reduce system losses and other sources of
non-revenue water
2. Continue to raise awareness and engage residents and students on conserving water, especially in
outdoor uses, and encourage greater water efficiency in new residential developments
3. Support conservation among industrial, commercial and institutional water users through programs
and targeted incentives
4. Continue to advance research into centralized municipal and decentralized water reuse
5. Demonstrate leadership by improving the efficiency of York Region’s own facilities and operations
Appendix C.1 provides the full updated strategy.
To successfully deliver this Master Plan update, the Region will require support from its local cities and towns
and the province, as well as collaboration with other jurisdictions and stakeholders. It will implement, evaluate
and refine its programs over the next five years.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 98
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE
Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Strategy
Reducing inflow and infiltration from the wastewater systems provides real capacity to existing systems and
defers the need for future infrastructure to service growth; this is a prime example of the One Water principle
of infrastretching. Integrating inflow and infiltration reduction into day-to-day operational needs and decision
making and implementing advanced technologies and intelligent information systems are also examples of
the integration and innovation principles of One Water.
In September 2021, the Region’s Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Strategy was updated. Main objectives of
the 2021 strategy update are:
Ensure continuous progress is made towards reaching the 2031 inflow and infiltration reduction
target of 40 million litres a day; this target is required to meet the Southeast Collector Trunk Sewer
individual environmental assessment condition of approval set by the province in 2010
Support Regional growth and sustainability goals while balancing overall cost and benefits
Refine partnership framework to enhance inflow and infiltration reduction programming at
both the Region and nine local municipalities
Continue to be an inflow and infiltration reduction leader, promoting innovation, adaptation,
and digital integration in data collection and analysis to drive actions towards the long-term
reduction target
The strategy update is organized around five program areas:
1. Enhance partnerships among York Region, local municipalities and the development community, all
of which have a role to play in reducing unnecessary water entering the sanitary sewer system
2. Monitor flows and continue to collect data to set local municipal inflow and infiltration reduction
targets and pinpoint high-priority areas for local improvement efforts
3. Advance data collection and analytics by installing more meters in Regional trunk sewers and using
innovative tools to analyze flow data and better plan and track work
4. Expand assessment and rehabilitation programming, refine policies and bylaws and enhance
partnership initiatives with developers for continued inflow and infiltration reduction in existing
sanitary sewer systems
5. Develop and adopt a new development standard for inflow and infiltration management consis-
tently across the Region and introduce monitoring requirements for the prevention of inflow and
infiltration in new sanitary sewer systems
Appendix C.2 provides the full updated strategy.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 99
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIONS

York Region’s draft Climate Change Action Plan
identifies actions in priority areas to help address
climate change. These actions focus on corporate-
specific actions and community-level activities to
improve resilience to climate change and achieve
integration and co-benefits through implementation.
Integrating efforts to mitigate and adapt is the most
effective way to manage climate change risks.
The plan is founded on the following goal:
Working together, the strong, caring and safe
communities of York Region will continue to
thrive under changing climate conditions.
It aims to achieve two major outcomes:
Reduce GHG emissions with a long-term goal
of becoming a net-zero Region by 2050
Increase resilience and capacity of the Region
to withstand and respond to current and
future climate events

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 100
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE
As noted in Section 3.3, the corporate Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan looks for ways to
reduce emissions across Regional government. Currently, approximately 90% of the energy used in water and
wastewater facilities is from electricity. The plan, updated most recently in 2019, also identified energy savings
from reducing water consumption, since water supply and wastewater conveyance both require energy for
pumping, and from putting efficiency measures in place at individual facilities.

Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan

The Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan (2019) identified
a suite of projects, initiatives and other activities to position York Region to
achieve its long-term aspirational goal of net-zero carbon emissions.
C ontinued implementation of water conservation and inflow and
infiltration reduction programs
E nergy conservation and process optimization measures like
improvements to heating and cooling systems and pump
optimization
Renewable Energy measures include implementing heat recovery
systems and installing photovoltaic solar

Climate adaptation is also important. Adapting means taking action to reduce negative impacts of existing
and future climate change. Regular maintenance and inspection keep our infrastructure in a good state of
repair, which helps make it more resilient in case of extreme weather events. Some of this work, on
wastewater infrastructure, is done in partnership with conservation authorities and servicing partners.
In recent years, climate change adaption measures have been implemented to improve the Region’s resiliency
to a changing climate. For example, drinking water sources have been evaluated using 10-year drought
scenarios to understand risks to groundwater sources, which drove development of specific policies under
the Source Protection Plans for York Region. For wastewater systems, a 25-year design storm scenario was
used to allow for sufficient consideration of climate change on wastewater capacity. To build on this work,
a climate change roadmap has been completed in 2020 to identify and address the highest future climate
risks to York Region’s water and wastewater infrastructure as shown in Figure 7.6. It focuses on:
Designing systems for climate resilience
Improving corporate internal governance and culture regarding climate change
Improving the capacity to adapt at an operational level
Building knowledge of climate risks
Reducing negative impacts to the environment from the servicing system

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 101
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

Many of the 33 actions outlined in the roadmap were developed to directly align with actions discussed in
the draft Climate Change Action Plan so that it can serve as a component of the broader corporate plan.
Over the next five years, work will be undertaken to update design guidelines, embed climate change lens
in the Environmental Assessment process, update emergency operating and business continuity procedures
to address high risks, refine odour management programs and develop performance metrics to measure
progress toward a resilient water and wastewater system.
The Region will continue to implement initiatives and monitor climate risks that increase resilience of
infrastructure and delivery of water and wastewater services.
Figure 7.6 Climate Risks to Regional Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 102
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

Blue-green Infrastructure: One Water in Action

The power of combining all three elements of One Water is illustrated by what is called “blue-green infrastruc-
ture.” It innovates by integrating natural processes — the use of trees, other vegetation and landscaping to
enhance community well-being by improving flood protection, urban heat island mitigation and water quality
improvements. In addition to having a positive benefit on the environment, blue-green infrastructure saves
money by avoiding or reducing the use of built facilities and processing.
One important application of blue-green infrastructure is using landscaping and vegetation around buildings and
along waterways to reduce the threat of flooding. Heavy rainfall can easily overwhelm eavestroughs and other
runoff channels, resulting in flooded basements and low-lying areas, stormwater getting into sanitary sewers
and waterways overflowing their banks. Simple measures such as disconnecting downspouts from municipal
storm systems and collecting water in rain barrels instead, planting trees and shrubs, sloping land away from
buildings and reducing paved areas can significantly reduce these risks.
Both Lake Simcoe and Toronto and Region conservation authorities are encouraging York Region and local cities
and towns to support integration of green infrastructure into asset management planning and to continue to
monitor and support the region’s forest assets, including street trees.
In York Region and across Canada, the value of blue-green infrastructure is recognized through the federal Disas-
ter Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), which encourages actions like the planting of street trees to absorb
storm water instead of relying completely on municipal sewer systems. York Region has successfully received
DMAF support to manage the effects of climate change by planting more trees in the right places. This work
helps reduce water run-off in urban areas and reduces the impact of heat islands.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 103
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

WATER EQUITY AND LIVEABILITY

Around the world, growth, economic trends and changes in the climate are raising concerns about equitable
access to safe, reliable water and wastewater services. These same factors are raising questions about how
communities can remain liveable in the coming decades as growth drives the need for more infrastructure projects.
Water equity provides a new lens with which to view the services York Region provides to residents and
businesses in partnership with local municipalities.
The US Water Alliance has identified a framework to advance water equity, which from a York Region
perspective would be built on three pillars:
Ensure all users of municipal systems have access to clean, safe, affordable water service
Maximize community benefits of water and wastewater solutions
Foster community resilience in the face of a changing climate

Access to Clean, Safe, Affordable Water Services

The first pillar is a reminder that water equity relates to the cleanliness and safety of supply as well as its
affordability. As part of the recent update to the Financial Sustainability Plan for the Region’s water and
wastewater, affordability of water bills was reviewed using new standards that take lower-income
households into consideration. The conclusion was that rates continue to be affordable for most residents
but the high cost of housing in the Region may be creating challenges that go beyond the affordability
of water bills. The recommended best practice for water and wastewater utilities is to consider affordability
support programs for low income households, rather than keep water rates and wastewater services low
for all customers. Some help is available to those facing financial challenges, including water-specific
financial relief programs in two local municipalities.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 104
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

Water Quality Management

Drinking water varies from place to place and can be influenced by factors such as hardness, chlorine and even
age (how long water stays in a pipe). Groundwater tends to be harder than surface water, picking up minerals
like calcium and magnesium as it travels slowly through sediments. It may also contain other minerals like
iron and sodium. Drinking water is highly regulated and measures of water quality include both health/safety
requirements as well as aesthetic targets. The Region and local cities and towns work together to maintain a
safe drinking water system and ensure water quality that meets provincial standards.
A multi-barrier approach, underpinned by stringent provincial regulations, proactively protects drinking water
and public health. Some elements include source water protection, training of operators, system audits, a
strict provincial inspection and enforcement program, as well as extensive water quality sampling and system
monitoring. For example, in 2021, York Region collected and performed 16,639 laboratory-analyzed tests and
approximately 40 million point-in-time readings were recorded by 376 continuous monitoring analyzers.
In the long-term, some infrastructure-related examples of water quality management include:
Timing new water infrastructure carefully to limit oversizing, which can lead to increased water age
Upgrading treatment at some York Region groundwater well facilities to improve the quality of water in
communities; groundwater treatment upgrades (valued at over $100 million) will be phased at multiple
York Region well facilities over the next 15 years; groundwater wells diversify water supplies available
to the Region which supports flexible and resilient servicing in the face of changing climate
Renewal of several York Region water storage facilities (valued at over $100 million over the next
10 years) to keep water storage facilities (like reservoirs and water towers) in good condition
Enhancing maintenance and cleaning of water storage facilities and distribution system
Researching emerging contaminants and anticipating operational challenges to identify
potential risks early
While not specifically growth-related, water quality continues to be key consideration in long-term
service planning.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 105
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE
York Region is a leader in supplying drinking water that meets stringent provincial standards. In 2020, 100%
of laboratory-analyzed samples were within regulated standards, and all provincial inspections of the Region’s
drinking water systems scored 100%. These scores reflected systems and operations in communities across the
Region. Through a focus on operations excellence including implementing an Integrated Management System
(comprising the Drinking Water Quality Management Standard along with ISO 14001) the Region is working
to ensure our drinking water remains safe now and into the future.

Maximize Community Benefits of Water and Wastewater Solutions

Traditional infrastructure projects can be disruptive to communities during construction and historically have
impacted the natural environment, for example, by covering or altering existing watercourses.
While a regulatory framework to minimize environmental damage and mitigate impacts is now in place, new-
er approaches like One Water show how working with natural processes can significantly reduce the impacts
of built solutions.
Similar work on this front is taking place around the world. For example, the Water Services Association of
Australia is investigating how to broaden traditional approaches to improve community outcomes.
One of their important goals is liveability. This can guide York Region, local cities and towns and conservation
authorities on several fronts, including:
Providing and encouraging “blue-green” infrastructure and traditional blue infrastructure
(water and wastewater infrastructure recommended through this Master Plan) that aligns
with One Water approaches

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 106
7.2 A CHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE
MEASURING SUCCESS
To achieve York Region’s vision of strong, caring, safe communities, the Region sets and measures progress
on key priorities set out in the 2019 to 2023 Strategic Plan. Annual reporting ensures objectives are met.
Delivering and promoting environmentally sustainable services stress the importance of demand management
activities. Ensuring fiscally responsible, reliable, and responsive service delivery means services are delivered to
residents and businesses in the Region in the most efficient and effective way possible. Successful implemen-
tation of this Master Plan will be evaluated by providing available capacity to ensure we meet the Provincial
Policy Statement 2020. Municipalities must as a minimum provide three-year supply of residential units, with
an option to consider a five-year servicing supply. This performance indicator is also outlined in the Regional
Official Plan and reported to Council as part of the capacity monitoring report.
Developing a deeper understanding of current and potential water equity concerns and opportunities in York
Region could provide a broader view of the impact that water plays in York Region’s residents’ lives, health
and enjoyment and in the economic vitality of its communities.
A growing number of United States and international utilities have been developing One Water initiatives to
respond to regional water challenges. Research is being carried out by the Water Research Foundation to help
utilities and municipalities identify effective strategies and viable technological, policy, institutional, and financial
pathways towards One Water. The Region will continue to review and integrate knowledge and learnings from
other jurisdictions into its own programs and plans as it advances toward a sustainable water future.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 107
YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 7.0 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN | AUGUST 2022 108
8.0 CONCLUSION

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 8.0 CONCLUSION | AUGUST 2022 109
8.0 C ONCLUSION

CONCLUSION
Realizing the aspirations of the Region’s Vision will depend on operating water and wastewater systems
responsibly and efficiently, and meeting growth needs prudently.
This Master Plan update, which outlines $4.5 billion in growth projects, supports those goals. It aligns with
the Municipal Comprehensive Review process by ensuring there is enough capacity in the right areas of the
Region at the right time as the Region’s population reaches a forecast 2.02 million by 2051.
The Master Plan is a dynamic document that will be recalibrated as needed to ensure investments align with
actual growth. The plan is expected to be updated within the next five years in coordination with the next
updates to the Regional Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan. As with this and previous plans, it will
seek out the views of residents, Indigenous communities, municipal councils and staff and others to help
inform its direction.
Safe and reliable water and wastewater services are central to social, environmental, and economic well-being.
The COVID-19 pandemic that began two years ago has served as a reminder of how quickly and dramatically
conditions can change, and how public service delivery must be ready to respond. Sobering new studies, as
well as reports of unprecedented severe weather around the world, underscore the need to address climate
change and protect people and the environment.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 8.0 CONCLUSION | AUGUST 2022 110
8.0 C ONCLUSION

Wisdom harnessed to technology can go a long

way in creating a better social order, a world in
which all creation can survive and enjoy life
to the fullest.
Intebeja Mani (John Snow)
Chief of the Stoney Nation,
These Mountains Are Our Sacred Places

Meeting such challenges requires well-designed and maintained systems supported by highly proficient staff
and leading-edge technology.
And it requires the wisdom to understand that water is a precious and finite resource.
Demand management programs like water conservation, inflow and infiltration reduction and energy con-
servation and demand management play an integral role in planning and delivering the Region’s water and
wastewater services. That is why sustainable planning for infrastructure is increasingly linked to the One Wa-
ter approach, which recognizes the value of water in all forms and settings and stresses the need to support
and work with natural processes.
York Region will also maintain rates that cover the costs of operating and renewing water and wastewater
assets and help prevent water being wasted. It will continue to work with local municipalities, partners, the
development industry and others to turn the principles of One Water into action.
With this 2022 Master Plan update, York Region remains at the forefront in delivering water and wastewater
services that depend on excellence in building and operating complex systems. By embodying the lead-
ing-edge principles of One Water, it will contribute to building stronger communities across York Region
and a healthier, more resilient environment for all.

Intebeja Mani (1933 - 2006) was a visionary Indigenous leader, statesman, philosopher and spiritual leader.
As Chief of the Stoney Nation, Mani helped protect the rights of all Indigenous peoples by bringing attention
to Indigenous issues. He is immortalized through his teachings and writings.

YORK REGION | WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN | 8.0 CONCLUSION | AUGUST 2022 111
2022 YORK REGION
WATER AND WASTEWATER
MASTER PLAN
AUGUST 2022 112