Walton Development and Management
The Walton Group of Companies is a multinational real estate investment and development firm concentrating on the research, acquisition, administration, planning and development of strategically located land in major North American growth corridors. With nearly 90,000 acres of land under administration including 22 development projects, Walton is one of North America’s premier land asset managers.
Walton Development and Management L.P. (“Walton”) has retained Greenland International Consulting Ltd. (“Greenland”) to assist with our municipal infrastructure planning and engineering design for several new communities in the County of Simcoe, Ontario including environmental assessments and water resource analysis. Greenland is highly regarded in the industry for their professional approach to the environmental aspects of these projects and state-of-the-art decision support tools (such as CANWETTM) to address climate change adaptation, cumulative watershed impact, and adaptive management such as post-construction performance monitoring. Greenland’s business model is unique and has provided Walton with value-added deliverables through the use of best available science and solution-based methodology. This includes forming a landmark public/private sector phosphorous reduction program to protect a sensitive fishery habitat system within headwaters of the Nottawasaga River Basin for one of Walton’s projects in Simcoe County. Greenland’s CANWETTM model and other in-house stormwater management and climate change impact assessment tools were instrumental for Walton to establish long-term partnerships in this community, including the local municipality, Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority and other key stakeholders.
Paolo Sacilotto
General Manager, Simcoe
Walton Development and Management L.P
February 13, 2015
Town of Collingwood
RE: Town of Collingwood ‘Smart’ Stormwater Project
I would like to thank and recognize GREENLAND® for their leadership role in the above project. Your firm identified the opportunity to work together with other private firms and public sector organizations, together with the support of the Town of Collingwood and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, to address a growing Concern in communities related to lot-level flood mitigation.
GREENLAND® strategized and implemented, over almost 3 years, the “first-ever in Canada” work plan to mitigate problems of climate-change induced stormwater flooding which impacts many residential, commercial and institutional properties. The innovative project approach monitored 4 different Low Impact Development (LID) approaches for reducing lot-level flooding and their ability to redirect site drainage away from municipal sewer systems. Using innovative real-time (aka ‘Smart’) technologies, GREENLAND® was also able to generate ‘Big Data’ that provided new insights into the effectiveness of these different approaches. The GREENLAND® team’s level of commitment, thoroughness and professionalism was appreciated by the municipality. GREENLAND® maintained open lines of communication with Town staff, contractors, participating residents, and promptly responded to all questions and issues raised by the public.
We commend your firm’s efforts as a pioneer in implementing this project approach.
Sonya Skinner
Acting Chief Administrative Officer
Town of Collingwood
June 2, 2020
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
RE: Town of Innisfil (Community of Alcona) Flood Reduction Class Environmental Assessment
On behalf of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA), I would like to thank GREENLAND® International - Consulting Engineers for the excellent work undertaken to complete the Flood Reduction Class Environmental Assessment for the Community of Alcona. I also want to provide you our sincere appreciation for the support GREENLAND® provided both in-kind and financially which allowed the project to proceed. The approved strategy will now enable the LSRCA and Town of Innisfil to move forward with the next phase of the project so that the science-based, publicly supported solution, can be implemented to alleviate flooding impacting residents in Alcona as soon as possible.
The project goal was to develop a sustainable - engineering solution to reduce significant annual flood damages currently occurring within the Community of Alcona (Town of Innisfil) and located within the Belle Aire Creek subwatershed. The project included a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) process with extensive public and other stakeholder consultations to advance a solution involving enhancing a wetland (green infrastructure) to provide flood mitigation. The project was proposed over a decade ago and was then adopted in the Town’s Master Drainage Plan as required under the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan. It is now one step closer to completion.
The project deliverables produced by GREENLAND® included an Environmental Study Report (ESR) which now provides a science-based, well-engineered, thorough and systematic understanding of the chronic flooding that has impacted the affected settlement area in the Town of Innisfil. The Environmental Study Report (by GREENLAND®) also developed a proactive flood mitigation and resiliency plan that can now be implemented by the LSRCA, Town and other stakeholders. Finally, the project work plan satisfied requirements of Ontario's Class Environmental Assessment process and with an effective/collaborative spirit of a "public-private partnership” utilizing and ecosystem approach. The timelines to complete the project were very aggressive and I was pleased that GREENLAND® was able to complete the project on-time and budget.
In conclusion, the role that GREENLAND® played to prepare the funding application for Canada’s National Disaster Mitigation Program; securing in-kind participation of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation (ICCA) at the University of Waterloo; providing in-kind Intellectual Property leveraging resources, and the financial contribution helped ensure the project was a complete success. I look forward to working with your company again on other partnerships of mutual interest and would be pleased to serve as professional references on similar projects.
Michael Walters
(Former) Chief Administrative Officer
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
November 6, 2020
Urban Watershed Group (UWG) is recognized for and specializes in creative and innovative urban land and civil engineering solutions for planners, developers and public sector clients. The team includes environmental, municipal and water resources engineering and other information technology specialists affiliated with the Greenland Group of Companies. UWG provides diverse services and leading-edge capabilities that can support the success of the most challenging urban land projects today. UWG was established in 2002 as a consulting firm with various civil engineering business units that were self-managed, yet worked together as a composite team to produce cost-effective results. In 2006, the company joined GREENLAND® to strengthen its capabilities within increasingly competitive markets and to use all proprietary GREENLAND® decision support system and smart analytical tools. Since incorporation, UWG continues to help shape the world around us – including time-tested experience, comprehensive resources and intelligent solutions for urban land projects.
