Three members of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s irrigation committee say new funding from a regional project is a major step forward in making water access more reliable for farmers — and expanding a system that’s vital to the town’s agricultural future.
In a June 9 news release, the Niagara Region announced it secured up to $1.8 million to advance the Niagara Irrigation Initiative Project — and Coun. Erwin Wiens says between $400,000 and $500,000 is earmarked for NOTL alone. The overall project is in the $200- to $300-million range, he said.
“It’s transformational,” said Wiens, a longtime committee member. “I couldn’t overstate the transformational importance of what we’re getting here.”
“Greenhouses need water every day,” he added. “This is part of getting them water.”
The $1.8 million will fund two environmental assessments, Wiens said: One for a new piped system in the Lincoln and St. Catharines area below the escarpment, and the other to upgrade the existing system in NOTL, according to the region’s project webpage.
“The next step in upgrading the existing irrigation system in Niagara-on-the-Lake is to update and consolidate the town’s three existing irrigation reports based on the town’s recently completed irrigation system strategy and master plan,” the release states.
Wiens said the funding is for the completion of environmental assessments, which is “just the preliminary work.” This will help determine the most environmentally and economically efficient location for the system, one that’s also viable for agriculture.
“It will start the engineering process,” he said.
The overall project could help make more marginal land usable for crop production, he said.
“This (project) is one major aspect of how we will maintain our sustainability in agriculture.”
Committee member Aaron Oppenlaender said the funding and overall project could help farmers who currently lack water access by expanding the system into harder-to-reach areas.
“It’s going to benefit all growers,” he said.
All aspects of NOTL’s irrigation system will grow and improve with this project, “which is excellent news,” he added.
Fellow longtime committee member Kevin Buis said the funding will allow the committee to update engineering reports and move closer to putting parts of its long-term irrigation master plan into action.
“I think it’s a heck of a good start,” said Buis.
“We’ll start to work on some final design,” Buis said. “And hopefully be able to start to cast what some of these projects will look like.”
The funding comes from the Government of Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Canada Infrastructure Bank and the Greenbelt Foundation.
The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3.5-billion program aimed at strengthening Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector.
More public/private partnerships funding the balance of the estimated $1.8 million project include: Ontario Tender Fruit Growers, Grape Growers of Ontario, local Niagara Greenhouse Growers, the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Town of Lincoln, City of St. Catharines and Niagara Region.
In 1988, a private member’s bill known as PR88 was passed, allowing farmers in NOTL to legally use their drainage ditches to irrigate crops.
“At the time, we were the only one that was allowed to use drainage ditches for irrigation water,” said Buis.
Of this allowance, Wiens said, “It was huge and we’re still reaping the benefits. Now, this is the next stage of something like that.”
Wiens was part of the original committee and, after years representing farmers, getting into politics allowed him to help connect the dots to move the project forward.
“I have not met one person that does not think this is a good idea,” he said.
“For Niagara-on-the-Lake to be successful, the region has to be successful. We won’t be successful independent of them.”
Wiens said efforts to expand NOTL’s successful irrigation system to other parts of the region have been underway for years.
“It’s so rewarding to see it happen,” he said.
NOTL’s environmental assessment will be less expensive since the town already has a system in place, said Wiens.
And with the town already being further along in the process — work in NOTL could begin sooner than work in the Lincoln and St. Catharines area below the escarpment, he said.
“A lot” more funding will be needed to upgrade NOTL’s irrigation system, Wiens said, but the exact amount won’t be known until the environmental assessment is complete.
“We’ll know more of that once we work through this phase,” Buis said.
Oppenlaender said the project is essential for the future of farming in the region.
“Water is the future of our agriculture,” he said.
