Planning Ecologist
Job Title: Planning Ecologist
Job Opening Id: 35494
Business Unit: Planning and Development Services
Location: Thorold, Ontario
Standard Hours: 35.00 / week
Temporary, Full-time
Salary Grade: 6
Salary Range: $ 81,910.00 – $ 96,360.00
Post Date: 2023-04-26
Close Date: 2023-05-16
Approximate Duration: 2 years
Serving a diverse urban and rural population of more than 475,000, Niagara Region is focused on building a strong and prosperous Niagara. Working collaboratively with 12 local area municipalities and numerous community partners, the Region delivers a range of high quality programs and services to support and advance the well-being of individuals, families and communities within its boundaries. Nestled between the great lakes of Erie and Ontario, the Niagara peninsula features some of Canada’s most fertile agricultural land, the majesty of Niagara Falls and communities that are rich in both history and recreational and cultural opportunities. Niagara boasts dynamic modern cities, Canada’s most developed wine industry, a temperate climate, extraordinary theatre, and some of Ontario’s most breathtaking countryside. An international destination with easy access to its binational U.S. neighbour New York State, Niagara attracts over 14 million visitors annually, as well as a steady stream of new residents and businesses.
Please note that effective February 12, 2023 mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations are no longer required as per the Niagara Region’s amended COVID-19 Vaccination Policy. As a result, you will not be required to submit verification of your vaccination status before starting employment with the Niagara Region. However, the Niagara Region continues to reserve the right to reintroduce vaccination requirements in the future if necessary to respond to changing public health advice andor government direction. The Niagara Region continues to strongly encourage everyone to remain up-to-date with vaccinations.
Job Summary
Reporting to the Manager, Environmental Planning, the Planning Ecologist is primarily responsible for assisting in the development application review process, including conducting field visits to assist in scoping of Environmental Impact Study (EIS) requirements, verifying EIS results and recommendations, and confirming that Regional and Provincial policies related to the natural environment are met. The Planning Ecologist may be required to attend meetings with local area municipalities, provincial ministries and/or developers and their consultants, to assist in resolving conflict on a wide range of development applications in both urban and rural contexts.
Education
Degree in Environmental or Botanical Science, Biology, Ecology, Natural Resources Management or a related field study.
An equivalent combination of education, experience and qualifications may be considered.
Master’s degree in a related field of study is preferred.
Knowledge
A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible relevant experience, including:
Conducting and peer reviewing Environmental Impact Studies;
Conducting a wide range of biological field investigations following established protocols (e.g. Species at Risk surveys and wetlands evaluation, etc.);
performing other specialized planning studies such as, but not limited to, Environmental Assessments, Natural Heritage System Studies, Sub-watershed Studies, Wetland Assessments and other natural heritage inventories/characterizations; and
Identifying and/or developing appropriate environmental mitigation, monitoring, and restoration/enhancement measures.
Proficient with computer applications such as MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), MS Outlook and GIS-based mapping systems (ArcView).
10 years of progressively responsible, relevant experience is preferred.
Both terrestrial and aquatic biology experience, including the ability to assess significance of sensitive aquatic species and habitats is preferred.
Demonstrated knowledge of ecological systems and processes as they relate to land use approvals.
Superior knowledge of survey protocols and technical guidelines as they relate to a wide range of biological field investigations.
Working knowledge of the Planning Act, Environmental Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, and associated regulations, relevant Provincial policies, plans and guidelines, and the Regional Official Plan.
Excellent verbal & written communication skills coupled with demonstrated technical writing & presentation experience.
MNRF certification in Ecological Land Classification for Southern Ontario is preferred.
MNRF certification in the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System is preferred.
Other relevant certifications would be considered is preferred.
Responsibilities
Responsible for contributing to the review of development applications including Planning Act applications, Environmental Assessments, secondary plans and infrastructure planning initiatives to determine compliance with current Provincial and Regional policy related to the natural environment and providing defendable comments and recommendations. (80%)
Makes recommendations from an ecological perspective related to the implementation of Regional and Provincial Policies.
Prepares for and occasionally attends pre-consultation with developers and partners and/or provides guidance and support to Development Planners in preparation for pre-consultation to clearly identify and discuss Provincial and Regional issues and required technical studies related to the natural environment early in the process.
Assists in scoping and peer review of Environmental Impact Studies (EIS).
Visits potential development sites to evaluate potential environmental issues, identify EIS scoping requirements and/or verify EIS findings and recommendations.
Initiates discussions on potential issues at earliest opportunity to determine remediation/resolution.
Offers alternative solutions and advice to customers balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders with legislative requirement and policies.
Provide comments to other members of the Environmental Planning group as it relates to ecology and provides defendable input.
Provides functional guidance to staff, determining methods and procedures to be used, resolving problems, and ensuring results are achieved.
Contributes to and coordinates projects related to preparing environmental development standards and guidelines, developing project plans and conducting research. (10%)
Participates in internal and external teams with respect to special planning studies.
Undertakes specialized research on environmental planning issues from problem identification to implementation planning.
Generates information to be made available to the general public through the Region’s website and various other media.
Ensures data captured and generated by the appropriate tracking system is accurate.
Implements best practices with respect to integration of environmental planning and development review.
Educates, coaches and mentors team members on all aspects of environmental planning. (5%)
Contributes to the development of departmental goals, objectives and work programs
Implements and measures departmental directions through team performance objectives and assignments.
Contributes to continuous improvement of processes and service delivery. (5%)
Remains current on new techniques, issues, and legislation affecting environmental planning, providing advice and recommendations on strategies.
Assists in the management of efficient and effective development review processes and performance reporting.
Prepares development guidelines and standards.
Prepares and gives evidence at Local Planning Appeals Tribunal or Environmental Tribunal hearings and other types of quasi-judicial hearings. Attends review meetings with Region’s legal counsel to provide background information on litigations, attending pre-hearings and other legal hearings, resulting from studies and applications as required. Provides advice to legal counsel during hearing.
Special Requirements
Must maintain ability to travel in a timely manner to other offices, work locations or sites as authorized by the Corporation for business reasons.
Regional staff strive to enable the strategic priorities of council and the organization through the completion of their work. Staff carry out their work by demonstrating the corporate values.
To view the full job description and requirements, visit our Careers page – Job Opening # 35494
Uncover the wonder of the Niagara Region and join a team dedicated to meeting tomorrow’s challenges…today!
Let us know why you would be an excellent team member by submitting your online application no later than May 16, 2023, before midnight by visiting our ‘Careers’ page at www.niagararegion.ca. We thank all candidates for their interest however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
If you require an accommodation for the application process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the alternate formats for contacting us are as follows:
· Phone: 905-980-6000 or 1-800-263-7215
· Bell Relay: 1-800-855-0511
· In-person: Sir Isaac Brock Way, Thorold, ON, L2V 4T7 – Human Resources Department
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