Niagara Peninsula Source Protection Committee Chair

The Niagara Peninsula Source Protection Authority is pleased to announce that the Ontario Minister of the Environment has appointed Mr. Mark Neufeld as the Chair of the Niagara Peninsula Source Protection Committee.

Mr. Neufeld of Ridgeway, has been involved in the Agricultural, Insurance and Environmental sectors in the Niagara Region for 25 years. He is a Program Representative for the Environmental Farm Plan in Niagara and Haldimand as well as a Fruit Crop Adjuster with Agricorp. He has served as Chair of the Line 5 Landfill Liaison Committee for the Region of Niagara and is a past Director of the Grape Growers of Ontario.  He has also served on the Wine Council of Ontario's Technical Committee in the development of the "Sustainable Winemaking Ontario" project, focusing specifically on viticultural issues. His community involvement includes serving as a volunteer firefighter as well as many years of service to his local faith community.

Niagara Peninsula Source Protection Committee - appointed members

On November 21, 2007 , the Niagara Peninsula Source Protection Authority appointed members to the Drinking Water Source Protection Committee, as required under Regulation 288/07 of the Clean Water Act, 2006 .  The regulation requires that the Niagara Peninsula Source Protection Committee have 9 members (plus a Chair appointed by the Province), representing municipalities, economic sectors and the public.

The committee selection process in the Niagara Peninsula Source Protection Area included a public call for applications for economic sector and public interest seats. In addition, the municipalities selected one representative each from Niagara Region, City of Hamilton and Haldimand County . Following a detailed review of all applications, candidates were recommended for appointment to the committee based on a number of criteria including professional and volunteer experience, ability to meet time and meeting commitments, possessing a degree of technical competency and location of residence in the watershed.

The following appointments to the Niagara Peninsula Source Protection Committee were made on November 21, 2007 . 

Municipal Representatives

Councilor Tim Rigby, Region of Niagara
Don Ricker, Haldimand County
Chris Shrive, City of Hamilton

Sector Representatives

Robert Bator, Agriculture
Maria Bellantino Perco, Industry
Brian Antonsen, Commerce

Public Interest Representatives

David Renshaw
Dean Ostryhon
Drew Semple

Source Protection Committee Member Biography Summaries

Regional Councillor Tim Rigby

Regional Councillor Tim Rigby is serving his Fourth term on Regional Council with the first three terms as Mayor of the City of St. Catharines.  He is a member of the Region’s Planning and Public Works and Utilities Committee, and is a Co-Chair of that committee.  He also serves on the Regions Public Health and Community Services Committee, along with a number of sub committees of the Region.

Councillor Rigby is also Past-President of the Canadian Henley Rowing Corporation, Past-President of Rowing Canada, Canadian Representative to FISA (The World Rowing Federation), Past Vice President of the Pan American Rowing Federation, Past Chair of the Rotary Youth Exchange, and was Co-Chair of the 1999 World Rowing Committee.  He is also a member of Rotary, Gyro and St. George’s Church.  Over the years, Tim has been awarded the Canada 125 Medal, the Queens Jubilee Medal, the Presidents Award IBAO, St. Catharines Outstanding Young Man of the Year Award, the Rowing Canada Medal of Honour and the Award of Merit, and has been inducted into the St. Catharines Sports Hall of Fame.

Tim lives in St. Catharines with his wife Virginia (Gini), has two daughters, Susan and Mary Anne, and a son Timothy (now deceased), all are now married and living in St. Catharines.  Gini and Tim have ten Grandchildren, and enjoy having them around, they tend to keep Gini very busy.

Tim was owner and partner of Rose Horne Stevenson, and Gosen Anderson Rigby Insurance Brokers prior to being elected to the office of Mayor.  Since being elected he has sold his interest in his company. 

Don Ricker

Mr. Don Ricker of Dunnville served on the Haldimand County council as the Ward 5 representative for ten years. For the last fifteen years he has owned and operated a water treatment business, and before that he was involved in the family dairy and cash crop farm operation. He also helped to implement the land stewardship program as the field inspector and board member. In his personal life he is very involved with family, friends and is serving as a volunteer fire fighter.

Mr. Chris Shrive

Mr. Chris Shrive is currently employed by the City of Hamilton's Wastewater Division of Public Works. He is a Senior Project Manager in the Source Protection Planning section which is dedicated to ensuring the City's responsibilities under the Clean Water Act are met.   Chris Shrive has more than 20 years experience in environmental investigations and in supporting the performance development and application of environmental technologies. He has participated in and overseen watershed studies, impact assessments and natural treatment technology research and implementation. He has played a key role in the City of Hamilton’s water and wastewater planning, including past responsibilities for communal servicing, rural servicing development assessment and biosolids management. In both private consultancy and public managerial roles, he has assisted agricultural, resource, industry and government sectors with research in innovative natural and process treatment technologies and their capability to manage and reduce environmental problems and associated liabilities.

Chris holds an honours B.Sc. (Agriculture) specializing in Resources Management, and a Master of Science, specializing in Soil Science, both from the University of Guelph. He is registered in Ontario as a practicing Professional Agrologist.

Mr. Robert Bator

MMr. Bator has been a landowner and tender fruit and grapes farmer in Niagara-on-the-Lake for over 30 years.  He is a Director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and a Vice-president of the Niagara North Federation of Agriculture.  Mr. Bator presently sits on the Agriculture Sub-committee of the Region of Niagara, and was a member of the task group that completed the Agricultural Impact Study for Niagara.  He was also part of the working group that produced the guidelines for ‘On Farm Food Safety’ in Ontario.  Robert Bator holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from University of Waterloo. 

Ms. Maria Bellantino Perco

Ms. Bellantino Perco, a life-long resident of Welland, has been working in the environmental field for over 20 years in both the government and industrial sectors. She is currently the Environmental Control Supervisor for Vale Inco Limited in Port Colborne. As part of that role, she has gained considerable experience in groundwater and surface water management and understands the challenges and opportunities that face industry in this respect. She has also had extensive involvement in the Community Based Risk Assessment (CBRA) process to address soil contamination in the Port Colborne community.

Her interest in water resources led her to pursue scuba diving as a hobby where she has advanced training in different diving environments and nautical archaeology. She has traveled extensively around the world for habitat and shipwreck exploration and photography and video documentary.

Her community involvement includes having served as the Community Services Chair for the Welland/Pelham Branch of the Canadian Cancer Society and President of the Niagara Divers Association.

Mr. Dean Ostryhon

Mr. Dean Ostryhon of Wainfleet has been employed in the municipal government sector for over 20 years including 15 years as a senior manager in public works and operational services.  Dean has recently completed a 6(six) year term as a Council Member for Landcare Niagara where he also served as Chair of the Water Quality Sub-committee.
Dean holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in urban geography and environmental studies from Brock University and is a member of The Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) as a Certified Technician.

Mr. David A. Renshaw

Mr. Renshaw is a native of Fort Erie. Following graduation from Fort Erie High School, David joined the Canadian Forces and was appointed to Royal Roads Military College and later to Royal Military College graduating in 1964 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He served as a Canadian Forces combat engineer officer and later as a construction engineer officer in various positions across Canada, including Officer Commanding Construction Engineering Company, 3 Service Battalion. In 1979, David obtained a Master’s Degree in Municipal/ Environmental Engineering through studies at University of Toronto and Royal Military College, where he was an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering. After 23 years of service, he left the Canadian Forces with the rank of Major, to take the position of Director, Buildings Division with Indian & Northern Affairs. David later moved to Publics Works Canada to become the Director Technical Services for National Capital Region, and then Director of Technological Development & Environmental Services, and finally as Acting Director General, Strategic Management. He left the Federal Government in 1995 but continued to work as an environmental engineering consultant in Ottawa until 1997 when he returned home, taking the appointed as the Director, Public Works for Fort Erie. In this position, David took an active part in the development of the Niagara Drinking Water Protection Strategy and resolving water quality problems in Fort Erie.  He retired from the Town of Fort Erie in November 2004. David is still active part time as a municipal engineering consultant, and in the community, as the chairman of the Fort Erie Museum & Cultural Heritage Committee.

Mr. Drew Semple

Mr. Drew Semple is a resident of the City of St. Catharines who has recently retired from the Regional Municipality of Niagara after more than 33 years of employment as a Senior Policy Planner with the Integrated Community Planning Department. Mr. Semple carried out public land use policy research and development focusing most recently on agricultural and rural development and resource management issues. Prior to working for the Niagara Region, Mr. Semple worked for the City of Ottawa as a neighbourhood and development plan reviewer.

Mr. Semple graduated with an Honors degree in Urban Geography from the University of Toronto and later received a Masters of Science in Urban and Regional Planning also from the University of Toronto. Mr. Semple is a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and a Registered Professional Planner.