Water allocation and the permit to take water program in Ontario: Challenges and opportunities

Ontario's principal water allocation arrangement, the Permit to Take Water (PTTW) program, has been surrounded by controversy for a decade. Key concerns, among others, are lack of public input into permit decisions and uncertainty regarding priorities in water use. This paper describes the current water allocation process, assesses the ability of the PTTW program to address a number of key challenges and identifies opportunities to enhance water allocation, within the existing institutional framework, in Ontario. The assessment was based on document analysis, a review of literature and field work in several Ontario watersheds. Among the enhancements to the PTTW program recommended are mandatory reporting of daily water use; more transparent decision-making regarding permit applications reflecting adequate data on the water resource, municipal planning policies, and stakeholder input; clear and legally-established water use priorities; and a PTTW fee structure based on the volume of water withdrawn.