Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Glace Bay Terms of Reference - Birch Grove and Area Watershed Advisory Committee

1.0  Purpose

The purpose of the Birch Grove and Area Watershed Advisory Committee is to protect three watersheds by:

1. Advising the CBRM Water Utility on the management of MacAskill Brook Dam Reservoir, John Allen Lake and Sand Lake watersheds in order to ensure an adequate supply of safe drinking water from the watersheds;
2. Collecting and reviewing information from stakeholders and other resources, and using that information to work with stakeholders to protect the water supplies to Glace Bay, Dominion, Reserve Mines, Tower Road, Donkin, Birch Grove, and Port Morien;
3. Providing a forum for landowners, residents, and users of the watershed to contribute and receive information and discuss all matters related to the management of the watersheds;
4. Preparing, and helping to implement through activities such as education, a water supply watershed management strategy for the MacAskill Brook Dam Reservoir, John Allen Lake and Sand Lake watersheds.

2.0  Scope

The water supply watershed includes MacAskill Brook Dam Reservoir, John Allen Lake, Sand Lake, and all those lands, watercourses, water bodies, and wetlands which drain into the three lakes.

3.0 Membership

• Voting Members
• Private Landowner Representatives – 5 members (representing the three supplies)
• Citizens Against Strip Mining (CASM) - 1 member
• Port Morien Wildlife Association – 1 member
• Marconi Trail Blazers ATV Club – 1 member
• Port Morien Development Association - 1 member
• Birch Grove Rural Development Association – 1 member
• Councillor, CBRM – 1 member
• CBRM Water Utility – 1 member
• Cape Breton Development Corporation (DEVCO) – 1 member
• Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC) (DARR) – 1 member
• NS Department of Natural Resources - 1 member

• Resource Members (non-voting)
• NS Department of Environment
• Cape Breton Regional Police Services

Note: 
The current membership constitute the committee, but representatives of other groups of interest may be accepted.

4.0 Operation of Committee

1. The committee chair and vice-chair will be elected every two years by the committee.
2. CBRM will provide secretarial services.
3. The committee will endeavour to conduct business by consensus which requires:
   • much discussion involving all sides or points of view
   • agreement by all concerned on a specific issue
   • encouragement of participation and involvement by everyone
     
     Should the committee be unable to attain consensual agreement on an issue, voting may be necessary. All motions require support from at least a two-thirds majority of the members present. Members representing more than one group shall have only one vote.
4. Eight voting committee members will constitute a meeting quorum.
5. A Public Meeting may be called at the discretion of the committee.
6. The Terms of Reference may be modified or updated by the committee by motion.