Ontario’s municipalities and conservation authorities work to protect people and property from natural hazards, including flooding and erosion hazards, as well as wetlands and the area surrounding them. The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) regulates development in or near natural hazards under the Conservation Authorities Act and Ontario Regulation 41/24: Prohibited Activities, Exemptions and Permits. Proposed development in regulated areas may require a permit from the UTRCA.

The UTRCA develops maps that depict properties that may be affected by the regulation (O. Reg. 41/24). The regulated area maps are available online at maps.thamesriver.on.ca and in-person at the Watershed Conservation Centre.

The UTRCA is undertaking a full review and update of its regulated area maps and the underlying natural hazards and features. New data and advances in computer technology and software have greatly increased the accuracy of hazard and feature identification. As a result, changes and refinements to the approximate regulated area may occur and additional regulated areas may be identified, or previously identified areas may be modified or removed.

Updating these maps is an important and ongoing process that enables the conservation authority and its municipal partners to use the most current information to identify hazards, assess risk, and guide land use decisions.

Visit the Frequently Asked Questions page for more detailed information about map updates.