Collaborative management: A framework for source water protection in the Maitland Valley watershed, Ontario

The Province of Ontario has introduced the Clean Water Act as a means to protect sources of drinking water and implement the last of the Walkterton Inquiry recommendations. The Clean Water Act is to be watershed-based with plan development facilitated by conservation authorities across the province. This thesis is a case study of the Maitland Valley watershed and investigates the potential for collaborative management as a framework for source water protection. Stakeholder analysis methodology is used to examine the social network of the Maitland Valley watershed for source water protection, and analyze the nature of the social network with regard to relationships and communication. Social network maps were generated to conceptualize the presence of relationships, both supportive and conflictive, among the stakeholders groups. Patterns of interest, communication and learning, collaboration and partnership are detailed. A conceptual framework that proposes guiding principles for collaboration was derived from the literature. Based on the findings this thesis then reflects on the usefulness of these principles as a tool for the development of collaborative management. Suggestions for using a collaborative management framework for source water protection are then put forward.