THUNDER BAY -- The city's storm water management could come with a cost but a number of benefits as well.
The stormwater management master plan, currently in draft form and slated to head to city council by the end of April, would completely change the way the city deals with its stormwater, which eventually makes its way into Lake Superior.
"We not only want to consider quantity of water but also quality of water and the impact on the environment," city environment director Kerri Marshall said.
The plan would look to manage flooding and protect private property, protect rivers and streams and the lake by improving the quality of water that goes into them. Marshall said that can be done by focusing on green infrastructure that could turn stormwater into groundwater.
"Over time that will lead to less grey infrastructure," she said.
That means less capital costs in the long-run and could even lead to less conventional material, like pipes, needed to deal with the city's stormwater.
The plan calls for wetland protection, stricter development standards to reduce the amount of runoff and would also come with a capital improvement plan and a cost program to cover it. Emmons & Olivier Resources project manager Cecilio Olivier said it's typical of cities with stormwater plans to have a separate user fee to cover the cost of the system. That could range anywhere from $20 to $200 a year.
"It depends on how proactive the city wants to be, what needs to be constructed, what needs to be repaired," he said.
But senior levels of government are very interested in stepping in to help cover those costs as well. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canada and the U.S. shows how serious the federal government is in protecting the lakes he said. If the city approves its stormwater plan, that could open up even more avenues for funding.
"It will go a long way to convince the federal government and also the provincial government to finance projects for the city," he said.
The city is hosting an open house about the proposed plan Wednesday at the Italian Cultural Centre. Presentations will be at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
