Highland Creek Watershed Projects & Plans
Greening Projects - NEW!
Highland Creek Neighbourhood Greening Project
TRCA, with support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and its partners, is working in areas in the Highland to help residents take action to green their neighbourhoods and address key issues that impact the Highland, including urban stormwater runoff and the loss of natural features.
By actively engaging homeowners, apartment residents, school groups, college students, and other special interest groups, the Neighbourhood Greening Project will build communities that are informed about local environmental issues and promote individual action at home, school, in parks, and other sites around their neighbourhoods.
The three neighbourhoods are:
Do you have questions or ideas for greening projects in your neighbourhood? Do you want to help make a difference and get involved? Click here to learn how you can help green your neighbourhood!
Neighbourhood Greening Project partners and supporters:
Highland Creek Watershed Greening Strategy
TRCA is working with the City of Toronto to develop a Greening Strategy for the Highland Watershed. It will include recommendations about how residents, community groups, businesses and others can improve the health of the Highland and its neighbourhoods. Stay tuned for updates on this new project!
Stewardship, Outreach & Education Initiatives
Don-Highland Stewardship Project
The TRCA Don-Highland Community Stewardship Program works to improve the health of the Don River and Highland Creek watersheds through hands-on community participation and education.
For more information or to register for an event, visit TRCA Stewardship or contact Natalie Swaak at 416-661-6600 ext. 5765 or nswaak@trca.on.ca.
Watershed on Wheels
An exciting educational program, the Watershed on Wheels is a unique and fun learning experience that brings environmental conservation programs right into the classroom. Click here for more information or to register for a Watershed on Wheels program.
Reports and Plans
Highland Creek Geomorphic Systems Master Plan Implementation Project (City of Toronto, in progress)
A 2006 study by Toronto Water to identify a preferred strategy for stream restoration (initiated in response to the Wet Weather Flow Management Master Plan) led to the development of a Geomorphic Systems Concept Plan and Stormwater Management Facility Plan for the Highland Creek Watershed. Falling under the Master Planning process of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, this plan will identify different restoration measures, techniques, potential project sites at a concept level, and implementation schedule over a 15 year timespan.
Wet Weather Flow Management Master Plan (City of Toronto, 2003)
Adopted by the City of Toronto in 2003, the Wet Weather Flow Management Master Plan is a long-term plan designed with the goal of eliminating the negative impacts of wet weather flow (i.e., runoff generated when it rains or snows) in order to protect and sustain the health of the watershed into the future.
State of the Watershed Report (TRCA, 1999)
Produced by staff of The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) in partnership with the City of Toronto, the Highland Creek State of the Watershed Report provides information to help with the development of a management strategy for the regeneration of the Highland Creek watershed. This report was prepared in response to the recognized environmental problems within the Highland Creek watershed, and discusses the condition of the land, air, water, and natural habitats within it.
Regeneration Projects
Markham Branch Restoration Project
This regeneration project includes the replacement of the channelized portion of Highland Creek between McCowan Road and Markham Road with a natural channel design, wetlands, plantings of native species and a pedestrian trail.
Centennial Creek Subwatershed Plan
The Centennial Creek Corridor is bounded by Hwy. 401, Meadowvale Rd., Centennial Rd. and Lake Ontario. Initiated in 1993, the Centennial Creek Subwatershed Plan proposes a number of projects to improve water quality, create wetland habitat, remove fish barriers and enhance the existing watercourse.
Integrated Shoreline Management Plan
This Plan identifies the Highland Creek watershed as an important core habitat system. It recommends the restoration of Stephenson's Swamp, the extension of the Highland Creek Trail System to the Waterfront Trail, the removal of fish barriers, and all measures designed to improve water quality in the watershed.
