Land Drainage Committee
The OSPE Land Drainage Committee is made up of practicing Drainage Engineers, along with Liaison Members from various government agencies and affiliated organizations. The committee meets regularly to discuss key issues affecting the drainage industry. It also hosts an annual Practitioner’s Meeting to share industry updates, as well as the Drainage Engineers Conference, which features expert speakers and case studies on projects under the Drainage Act.
Objectives
Our prime objective is to improve the practice of drainage engineering under the Drainage Act of Ontario. Our purpose and objectives are included in our Terms of Reference.
Achievements
This committee serves as a resource to many of the industry stakeholders, such as the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Drainage Superintendents of Ontario (DSAO), Land Improvement Contractors of Ontario (LICO), and Conservation Ontario (CA), along with others. This committee also participates as a Sub-Committee member for inter-agency initiatives such as the Drainage Act Working Group (DAWG) – a committee led by DFO, and the Drainage Act Regulations Team (DART) – a committee led by CA.Initiatives
The LDC is currently working with the DSAO to assist the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) in their dispute with federal railways over their responsibility under the Drainage Act. Although they have been a willing participant in drainage infrastructure since their inception, the railways are now taking the position that they are federally regulated and are not bound by provincial or municipal government laws, bylaws, and regulations. As such, they are refusing to participate and contribute to their financial responsibilities through the Drainage Act.
Jeremy Taylor, P.Eng.
Committee Chair
Land Drainage Committee Members
- Josh Warner, P. Eng. | Vice-Chair
- Trevor Kuepfer, P.Eng. | Secretary
- John Kuntze, P.Eng.
- Tony Peralta, P.Eng.
- George Vereyken, P.Eng.
Technical Papers and Reports
Todgham Papers: Distributing the Cost
- Conference for Drainage Engineers*, Introduction, Program and Speaker Biographies, November 7, 1969
- Distributing the Cost*, H.H. Todgham, P. Eng. , O.L.S., November 7, 1969
- Drainage Assessment Revisited by E.P. Dries, P.Eng. and H.H. Todgham, 1988 (Please note that the sections of the Drainage Act referred to in this paper are understood to be as per The Drainage Act, 1962-63, Statutes of Ontario, 1962-63, Chapter 39 as amended by 1965, Chapter 34 and 1967, Chapter 47.)
Technical Papers
- Allowances and Compensation under the Drainage Act 1998
- Drainage Referee Report, October, 2020
- Easements in Drainage Presented at the 2010 Drainage Engineers Conference by Delbert O’Brien
- Guidelines for Environmental Appraisals under the Drainage Act by OMAF, OME, OMNR, 1975
- Guidelines for Preparation of Drainage Reports under the Drainage Act
- Preliminary Reports on Municipal Drains
- Section 26 of The Drainage Act
- Spinnin’ the 78 – 20 QUESTIONS ON THE USE OF S.78 OF THE DRAINAGE ACT, presented at the 2008 Drainage Engineers Conference by Sid Vander Veen, OMAFRA
- The Drainage Act, Comments and Suggestions for Reports, Wayne Wood, OMAF, 1986
Get involved
Interested in sharing your expertise? Email us at advocacy@ospe.on.ca.
