Introduction
In 2004, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Credit Valley Conservation Authority (CVC) and Peel Region, with support from local agricultural organizations and the Peel Agricultural Advisory Working Group (PAAWG), partnered to create and deliver the voluntary Peel Rural Water Quality Program (PRWQP).
This unique partnership enables PAAWG, a group comprised of local farmers, municipal councillors and other agricultural community stakeholders, to play a critical role in creating the PRWQP’s funding guidelines and keeping the program relevant to Peel farmers.
Purpose and Objectives
PRWQP: The PRWQP provides technical support and funding with grants up to $20,000 for 18 different agricultural best management practices (BMPs). BMP categories can be grouped into three main benefit streams:
- Reduced risk of agricultural inputs impacting water quality and ecosystem health (e.g. fuel and chemical storage);
- Habitat creation, farm resilience and water capture (e.g. tree planting); and
- Reduced sedimentation of waterways and erosion potential (e.g. cover crops).
PROGRAM GOAL: To build farm climate resiliency and provide support to farmers to help them manage their land and water to improve soil, water and air quality, and enhance wildlife habitat.
ALUS PEEL: In 2022, PRWQP partners collaborated with ALUS Canada to develop and deliver the ALUS Peel. This program granted farmers annual payments of $150/acre for a minimum of five years, for maintaining certain BMP projects.
ALUS Peel Achievements
By the end of 2024 the ALUS Peel had contributed to 49 projects, worked with 16 different farmers and provided payments for a total of 83.7 acres of restored lands. This success lead to the permanent adoption of ALUS Peel in 2025.
PRWQP Achievements
Since 2004, PRWQP has had amazing success which has helped to build on-farm climate resiliency across Peel Region through restoring natural areas, preserving soils, optimizing resource management, and improving farm infrastructure.
Conclusion
The agricultural community-based partnership with PAAWG developed through the PRWQP and ALUS Peel has built a strong rapport between Conservation Authroties (CAs), Peel Region, and Peel’s farmers.
This enables the programs to be delivered with CAs technical knowledge, and farmers’ local expertise, while also maintaining farmer-to-farmer connections through PAAWG. Some additional lessons learned include:
- Farmer-farmer program recommendations are effective
- Approachability and visibility are very important to building lasting relationships and trust between CAs and the local agricultural community