| In the province of Ontario, transfer of ownership of some hydro transmission corridor lands to the Government of Ontario has sparked new interest in the use of hydro transmission corridors other than for electricity transmission. The purpose of this study was to identify ways that hydro corridors are currently used and managed within urban areas, identify issues associated with their use and management, and suggest alternative approaches and process improvements for planning for secondary uses. Using the Regional Municipality of Waterloo as a case study area, a quantitative assessment of the composition and variation of vegetation found within urban hydro corridors was undertaken. Second, the issues that public land managers must address with respect to the secondary uses of urban hydro corridors were identified and explored through interviews with municipal, provincial, and Hydro One Networks Incorporated staff. Vegetation surveys showed that the corridors are generally maintained as manicured park areas, and an opportunity to manage the corridors to increase their ecological function is being lost. Land managers most often suggested that the hydro corridors are a good location for recreational amenities such as trails, and did not favour alternative uses such as agroecosystem management including habitat conservation, tree farms and garden plots; infrastructure including underground pipelines and cabling; transportation infrastructure including commuter trails and parking lots; storage yards; stormwater management ponds and drains; and waste diversion or recycling sites. Increased local knowledge and reduction in administrative barriers were identified as ways to facilitate a more comprehensive approach to planning for the secondary use of hydro transmission corridors within urban areas. |
