Governance

Board of Directors

A 26-member board of directors  is appointed by our 22 participating municipalities, and oversees our policies, programs and budgets.

Under the Clean Water Act, the members of the GRCA board also serve as members of the Grand River Source Protection Authority (GRSPA). GRSPA meetings are held when required to carry out duties associated with drinking water source protection. More information is available on the website of the Lake Erie Source Protection Region.

Board meeting agendas, reports, minutes and live-stream webcast

The live-stream meetings, board agendas, reports and minutes are available on our board meeting webpage. The board meets monthly, usually on the fourth Friday of the month. 

Management

Our operations are overseen by Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Samantha Lawson and supported by Karen Armstrong, Deputy CAO and Secretary-Treasurer and ten department managers.

We have about 140 full-time employees. Most of them work in the Administration Centre, while others work at conservation areas, nature centres, and a tree nursery throughout the watershed.

Visit the Contact Us page for more information.

Our Strategic Plan serves as our guide to enhance and build on our programs and services. Our staff will embark on an update to the existing strategic plan in 2024.

The GRCA is governed by the Conservation Authorities Act and provincial regulations. Since 2019, the provincial government has made changes to our regulations to improve transparency and accountability to our municipalities and watershed residents.

The GRCA has developed a Transition Plan and an Inventory of Programs and Services, as required under Ontario Regulation 687/21. 

Along with provincial requirements, the GRCA complies with an Administrative By-law (349KB PDF), and is guided by our Strategic Plan.

We provide a variety of programs and services to our 22 participating watershed municipalities through established Memorandums of Understanding. 

• Township of Amaranth (1MB PDF)
• County of Brant (1MB PDF)
• City of Brantford (12MB PDF)
• Township of Centre Wellington (577KB PDF)
• Township of East Garafraxa (1MB PDF)
• Town of Erin (1MB PDF)
• Town of Grand Valley (1MB PDF)
• City of Guelph (924KB PDF)
• Township of Guelph/Eramosa (1MB PDF)
• Haldimand County (1MB PDF)
• Region of Halton (1MB PDF)
• City of Hamilton (877KB PDF)
• Township of Mapleton (1MB PDF)
• Township of Melancthon (1MB PDF)
• Norfolk County (1MB PDF)
• Municipality of North Perth (2MB PDF)
• County of Oxford (1MB PDF)
• Township of Perth East (1MB PDF)
• Township of Puslinch (1MB PDF)
• Township of Southgate (928KB PDF)
• Regional Municipality of Waterloo (1MB PDF)
• Township of Wellington North (1MB PDF)

A listing of other existing Memorandums of Understanding is provided in our Inventory of Programs and Services.

Following a period of municipal review, the GRCA budget is approved by the board at the Annual General Meeting, held the fourth Friday in February. Financial statements are reviewed every year by independent auditors.

The first draft of Budget 2025 was approved by the General Membership for consultation purposes on October 25, 2024. Participating municipalities in the Grand River watershed have received the draft budget by email, and it is available digitally in the October 25, 2024 agenda package.

2024 Fee Policy and Schedules

Our Fee Policy was implemented January 1, 2024, and was amended through staff report GM-04-24-37 - Fee Policy and Fee Schedule Amendments on April 26, 2024. Our amended 2024 Fee Policy includes the following fee schedules for programs and services as approved by the Minister:

• Schedule 1 (606KB PDF) - Outdoor Environmental Education Programs and Services (No changes from 2023)
• Schedule 2 (217KB PDF) - Conservation Area Programs and Services (Amended April 2024)
• Schedule 3 (118KB PDF) - Planning and Regulations Programs and Services (Amended April 2024)
• Schedule 4 (651KB PDF) - Tree Nursery, Central Services