CLI-ECA

The Municipal Consolidated Linear Infrastructure Environmental Compliance Approval (CLI-ECA) is a streamlined approval process for municipalities managing stormwater and Low Impact Development (LID) infrastructure. This guide offers step-by-step instructions to ensure compliance with CLI-ECA requirements.

Step-by-Step Compliance Process

Step 1: Determine if Your Project Falls Under CLI-ECA

Identify whether the proposed stormwater or LID project qualifies as a pre-authorized alteration under CLI-ECA. Common eligible projects include:

• Storm sewer upgrades or extensions
• Alterations to stormwater management facilities (e.g., wet ponds, dry ponds, wetlands)
• Implementation or modification of LID practices (e.g., bioretention, infiltration trenches, permeable pavements)

Step 2: Review Design Criteria and Standards

• Ensure project design follows **MECP’s Design Criteria for Sanitary Sewers, Storm Sewers, and Forcemains**.
• Incorporate stormwater treatment objectives from the Ontario Stormwater Management Planning and Design Guidance Manual (2003).
• Ensure LID features meet municipal and provincial standards for infiltration, flow control, and water quality treatment.

Step 3: Complete Required Documentation

Use the appropriate compliance forms based on project type:

Form SW1 – Storm Sewers/Ditches/Culverts​ Form SW2 – Stormwater Management Facilities Form SW3 – Third Pipe Collection Systems

Prepare a Design Report including:

• Engineering drawings
• Hydraulic calculations
• LID performance criteria
• Maintenance plans

Step 4: Obtain Engineering and Owner Verification

A Licensed Engineering Practitioner must verify that:

• The design aligns with CLI-ECA criteria.
• The system is designed for proper stormwater management without negative impacts.

The Municipal Owner must sign off on compliance forms confirming:

• The alteration does not result in adverse effects.
• It aligns with jurisdictional stormwater management objectives.

Step 5: Submit a Director Notification (If Required)

Some alterations require notification to the MECP Director within specific timeframes:

• 30 days after placing new works into service.
• 90 days if previously undocumented infrastructure is discovered.

The notification must include:

• Project description
• Verification documents
• Compliance assessment

Step 6: Conduct Post-Construction Inspection and Verification

• Inspect LID and stormwater systems to ensure they function as designed.
• Complete "Post-Construction Verification" on relevant forms.
• Document key performance indicators such as infiltration rates, flow control effectiveness, and pollutant removal efficiency.

Step 7: Maintain Ongoing Compliance and Record-Keeping

Establish a Stormwater System Maintenance Plan that includes:

• Routine inspections (e.g., sediment removal, vegetation management)
• Adaptive management strategies for system improvements

Retain compliance records for a minimum of 10 years. Submit annual performance reports if required by municipal or provincial regulations.

External links

• MECP CLI-ECA website
• Design Guidelines For Sewage Works
• Stormwater Management Planning and Design Manual

Low impact development is a stormwater management and land development strategy applied at the parcel and subdivision scale that emphasizes conservation and use of on-site natural features integrated with engineered, small scale hydrologic controls to more closely mimic pre-development hydrologic functions.

A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

Low Impact Development. A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.