| Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) | |
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| Founded | 1954 |
| Headquarters | Mississauga, Canada |
| Staff | Rae Horst, CAO Pat Mullin, Chair |
| Area served | Peel Region, Halton Region, Dufferin County |
| Focus | Habitat conservation, Water conservation, Wildlife management |
| Method | Donations and Grants |
| Revenue | CAD$8.7 million (in 2006)[1] |
| Motto | "Enhancing and protecting the natural environment of the Credit Valley Watershed for present and future generations" |
| Website | www.creditvalleycons.com |
The Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) is a Conservation Authority responsible for the protection and management of the Credit Valley watershed, surrounding the Credit River from its headwaters above the Niagara Escarpment to the point at which it meets Lake Ontario at Port Credit, Mississauga. The CVC received its funding from both Provincial and Municipal sources, as well as self-generated user fees and other service fees.[2]
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At the time of the arrival of the Europeans in the 1600s, both Iroquoian and Algonquian speaking peoples already lived in the Credit River Valley area. One of the First Nations groups the traders found around the Credit River area was called the Mississaugas, a tribe originally from the Georgian Bay area. By 1700 the Mississaugas had driven away the Iroquois.
The river was named Rivière au Crédit by French fur traders, because trading goods were supplied to the native Mississaugas in advance (on credit) against furs which would be provided the following spring. A trading post was set up at the mouth of the river, in Port Credit, in the early 18th century.
The watershed was gradually developed for agricultural purposes throughout the 19th century, when dozens of small communities were established along waterways for industry, fishing, and natural trail routes leading into York, present-day Toronto. Some of the major towns included Port Credit, Streetsville, Meadowvale, Georgetown, Acton and Belfountain and Orangeville. Except for small villages, some grist mills and brickworks, most of the watershed was used for agricultural land, including fruit growing orchards through much of the 19th and first half of the 20th century.
During the Canadian railway boom in the 19th century, the Credit Valley Railway was constructed along the river and serviced the industries and towns of Erindale, Streetsville and Meadowvale, Churchville, Brampton, Snelgrove, Cheltenham, Inglewood, Cataract, Alton, Melville, Orangeville, Erin and Hillsburgh. Additionally, The Guelph branch of the Toronto Suburban Railway (from The Junction to Guelph) separately served a stretch of the river (Erindale, Streetsville, Meadowvale, Churchville, Huttonville, Norval and Georgetown). Although the railway was dismantled in the early 20th century, a few remaining ruins are visible along the River.
The CVC was founded in 1954 when much of the area surrounding the Credit River was still used for rural agriculture and pasture. Since then, suburban sprawl has surrounded the river within the municipal boundaries of Mississauga and Brampton. This has increased the importance of the CVC's management activities of habitat and water resources.
The CVC operates several Conservation Areas:
The headquarters of the CVC is located on Meadowvale Conservation Area near Meadowvale Village in Mississauga, on land that has been naturalised from its previous use as farmland. Several hints of the land's past remain present. The stone foundations of a ruined barn and its concrete silo remain on the property, although they have been completely overgrown with birch and pine trees. In addition, the concrete foundations of a Toronto Suburban Railway bridge across the river is still visible, as are some of the raised railway track beds, which have been converted into pedestrian paths. The side of the property west of the river is being used as a nature reserve, while the east side of the river has become a larger urban park that remains open until 11pm. It is facilitated with public restrooms and barbecues, and can accommodate hundreds of people. Both sides of the river are connected by a wooden suspension bridge.
The CVC is actively engaged in water management. The average daily flow of the Credit River is 690,000 cubic metres, 65% of which comes from groundwater.[3] An estimated 600,000 residents in the Credit River watershed, 87% of whom live in the lower third of the watershed, in present-day Mississauga and Brampton. These pressures, coupled with a population growth rate of approximately 2% per year, necessitates the careful development of the Credit River valley to avoid flooding situations during storms and spring thaw. In 1999, 21% of the watershed was developed, and by 2020, 40% of the watershed will be developed (based on approved development and the official plans of the municipalities).[3]
Despite urbanization and associated problems with water quality on the lower section of the river, the watershed provides a foundation for natural habitats as well as recreation. The Credit River is home to a wide range of wildlife. Some species are permanent or seasonal residents while others are sighted occasionally. 1330 species of plants, 244 species of birds, 64 fish species (including many bait fish, pike, and brook trout), 41 species of mammals, as well as several turtle, snake, and amphibians call this watershed home.[3] There are spawning areas for Chinook salmon and rainbow trout throughout the river, facilitated by a fish ladder in Streetsville; the headwaters of the Credit River remains home to a native self sustaining brook and brown trout population; and much of the river can still be travelled by canoe or kayak.
  | www.creditvalleycons.com - Credit Valley Conservation |
| | Our Funding - Credit Valley Conservation - Our Funding |
| | Credit River Watershed - Credit Valley Conservation - Credit River Watershed |
| | Official Website - Credit Valley Conservation |
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