PART V OBJECTS, POWERS AND DUTIES
Powers of authorities
21 (1) For the purposes of accomplishing its objects, an authority has power, (a) to research, study and investigate the watershed and to support the development and implementation of programs and services intended to further the purposes of this Act; (b) for any purpose necessary to any project under consideration or undertaken by the authority, to enter into and upon any land, with consent of the occupant or owner, and survey and take levels of it and make such borings or sink such trial pits as the authority considers necessary; (c) to acquire by purchase, lease or otherwise any land that it may require, and, subject to subsections (2) and (4), to sell, lease or otherwise dispose of land so acquired; (d) despite subsection (2), to lease for a term of five years or less land acquired by the authority; (e) to purchase or acquire any personal property that it may require and sell or otherwise deal therewith; (f) to enter into agreements for the purchase of materials, employment of labour and other purposes as may be necessary for the due carrying out of any project or to further the authority’s objects; (g) to enter into agreements with owners of private lands to facilitate the due carrying out of any project; (h) to determine the proportion of the total benefit afforded to all the participating municipalities that is afforded to each of them; (i) to erect works and structures and create reservoirs by the construction of dams or otherwise; (j) to control the flow of surface waters in order to prevent floods or pollution or to reduce the adverse effects thereof; (k) to alter the course of any river, canal, brook, stream or watercourse, and divert or alter, as well temporarily as permanently, the course of any river, stream, road, street or way, or raise or sink its level in order to carry it over or under, on the level of or by the side of any work built or to be built by the authority, and to divert or alter the position of any water-pipe, gas-pipe, sewer, drain or any telegraph, telephone or electric wire or pole; (l) to use lands that are owned or controlled by the authority for purposes, not inconsistent with its objects, as it considers proper; (m) to use lands owned or controlled by the authority for park or other recreational purposes, and to erect, or permit to be erected, buildings, booths and facilities for such purposes and to make charges for admission thereto and the use thereof; (m.1)  Repealed: 2017, c. 23, Sched. 4, s. 19 (3). (n) to collaborate and enter into agreements with ministries and agencies of government, municipal councils and local boards and other organizations and individuals; (o) to plant and produce trees on Crown lands with the consent of the Minister, and on other lands with the consent of the owner, for any purpose; (p)  Repealed: 2020, c. 36, Sched. 6, s. 7 (4). (q) generally to do all such acts as are necessary for the due carrying out of any project or as may be desirable to further the objects of the authority.  R.S.O. 1990, c. C.27, s. 21; 1996, c. 1, Sched. M, s. 44 (1, 2); 1998, c. 18, Sched. I, s. 11; 2017, c. 23, Sched. 4, s. 19; 2020, c. 36, Sched. 6, s. 7; 2022, c. 21, Sched. 2, s. 2 (1). Notice to Minister (2) Subject to subsection (6), if the Minister has made a grant to an authority under section 39 in respect of land, the authority shall not sell, lease or otherwise dispose of the land under clause (1) (c) without providing a written notice of the proposed disposition to the Minister at least 90 days before the disposition. 2022, c. 21, Sched. 2, s. 2 (2). Same (3) If an authority is required to consult the public and post a notice of proposed disposition under subsection (4), the notice to the Minister required under subsection (2) shall, at a minimum, describe how the comments received during the public consultation, if any, were considered by the authority prior to the disposition. 2022, c. 21, Sched. 2, s. 2 (2). Public consultation prior to disposition (4) Subject to subsection (6), an authority shall conduct a public consultation and post a notice of the consultation on its website if the authority proposes, under clause (1) (c), to sell, lease or otherwise dispose of land in respect of which the Minister has made a grant under section 39 and the land includes, (a) areas of natural and scientific interest, lands within the Niagara Escarpment Planning Area or wetlands as defined in section 1 of the Conservation Land Act; (b) the habitat of threatened or endangered species; (c) lands in respect of which the authority has entered into an agreement with the Minister in relation to forestry development under section 2 of the Forestry Act; or (d) land that is impacted by a type of natural hazard listed in subsection 1 (1) of Ontario Regulation 686/21 (Mandatory Programs and Services) made under this Act. 2022, c. 21, Sched. 2, s. 2 (2). Length of public consultation and content of notice (5) The public consultation under subsection (4) shall last for a minimum of 45 days and the notice of public consultation to be posted on the authority’s website prior to the proposed disposition shall include, (a) a description of the type of land referred to in clauses (4) (a) to (d) that the authority is proposing to dispose of; (b) the proposed date of the disposition; and (c) the proposed future use of the lands, if known. 2022, c. 21, Sched. 2, s. 2 (2). Exceptions (6) With regard to a disposition of land in respect of which the Minister has made a grant to an authority under section 39, the authority is not required to provide a notice to the Minister under subsection (2) or consult the public and post a notice under subsection (4) if, (a) the disposition is for provincial or municipal infrastructure and utility purposes; (b) the province, the provincial agency, board or commission affected by the disposition or the municipal government, agency, board or commission affected by the disposition has approved it; and (c) the authority informs the Minister of the disposition. 2022, c. 21, Sched. 2, s. 2 (2). Minister’s direction on disposition proceeds (7) If the Minister receives a notice under subsection (2), the Minister may, within 90 days after receiving the notice, direct the authority to apply a specified share of the proceeds of the disposition to support programs and services provided by the authority under section 21.1. 2022, c. 21, Sched. 2, s. 2 (2). Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 1996, c. 1, Sched. M, s. 44 (1-3) - 30/01/1996; 1998, c. 18, Sched. I, s. 11 - 18/12/1998 2010, c. 16, Sched. 10, s. 1 (1) - 25/10/2010 2017, c. 23, Sched. 4, s. 19 (1, 2, 4, 5) - 12/12/2017; 2017, c. 23, Sched. 4, s. 19 (3) - 01/01/2023 2020, c. 36, Sched. 6, s. 7 (1-4) - 02/02/2021 2022, c. 21, Sched. 2, s. 2 (1, 2) - 01/01/2023