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

Municipal examples (instead of external links)

Annual Reports

Municipalities in Ontario are required by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to submit annual Stormwater Performance Reports, which must be made available to the public at no charge. Below are examples of reports published by the City of Mississauga,

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.

Refers to the conditions in which an organism lives and survives or the conditions in which an organism resides. These conditions can be described as aspects of a “physical”, “social” or an “economic” environment, depending on the perspective perceived by the observer.