Job Specification

Purpose :

- To coordinate the provincial water well management program, including participating on technical teams related to ongoing initiatives (e.g. geothermal, source water protection, climate change) as required; providing technical input for legislation/regulations and updating program requirements pertaining to wells in Ontario.

- To review and approve or deny water well contractor and technician licensing to ensure compliance with legislation.

- To provide technical advice on well construction to internal and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Program Administration
- Leads and/or carries out reviews of provincial Well Contractor Licence, Well Technician Licence and Assistant Well Technician Card applications, ensuring legislated and regulated requirements and qualifications are met, including interviewing applicants to determine what qualifications they possess to meet/demonstrate compliance. Advises licence holders of mandatory minimum compliance requirements to maintain their licences.
- As a designated Director appointed by the Minister under legislation (e.g. OWRA, Reg 903) approves or denies all Ontario Well Contractor and Well Technician Licences and Assistant Well Technician Cards.
- Sets up course requirements and training, including developing examinations required for a multi-class licensing system, in collaboration with educational service provider to support program requirements under legislation and ensure compliance requirements are met by applicants; interviews and administers applicant examinations to ensure requirements are met, provides technical support in situations of non-compliance with the legislative requirements relating to wells, and assists during complex investigations.
- Documents complaints/reports of non-compliance of those licensed and unlicensed and reviews status with respect to Licence issuance.
- Provides technical/program guidance for the design/enhancements and content of wells related corporate databases (e.g. CALMS, CALMS-Web and WWIS) to meet regulatory reporting requirements, provision of well records and related data/documentation.
- Serves as key ministry technical resource for responding to enquiries received through the Wells Help Desk on the interpretation of legislative and regulatory requirements pertaining to well construction, well maintenance and well abandonment.

2. Expert Advice
- As key ministry technical expert on wells, provides technical advice and assistance to other ministries, federal government agencies, industry, the public, associations and consultants on well construction, maintenance, abandonment, testing, disinfection and decontamination of wells and ground water matters; provides advice to control or correct negative impacts on ground water resources caused by wells.
- Provides technical advice and assistance to ministry staff on well complaint investigations, inspections and follow-up enforcement activities as required; provides technical expertise in support of field investigations and prosecutions.
- Provides interpretation of wells regulation to internal/external clients; advises on requirements for proper completion of well records (both administrative and technical requirements) as part of the complete submission of well records to meet regulatory requirements.
- Serves as an expert witness in legal prosecutions and regulatory negligence lawsuits against the Crown by providing factual and opinion evidence at trials and hearings related to well construction, maintenance and abandonment.

3. Stakeholder Information and Communication
- Assist with the Development of training programs and presents legislated/regulatory requirements to licence applicants, industry, the public, associations and ministry staff regarding compliance requirements governing wells.
- Presents technical material to ministry, training institutions, government agencies, Conservation Authorities on source water and well protection.
- Develops educational and communications materials (e.g. Best Management Practices [BMP] Manuals, technical bulletins, fact sheets, etc.) for the public and industry on well construction, maintenance and abandonment in support of legislative requirements.
- Serves as technical representative of branch/program on wells related issues in the branch/ministry.

4. Policy Analysis and Development
- Participates on technical teams, committees as required to provide planning, evaluation, development and updating of relevant ministry legislation (e.g. Reg. 903) to reflect current ministry policy regarding water wells and ground water policies.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
- Statutes and regulations governing water wells and well construction, maintenance and abandonment in order to serve as a designated Director appointed by the Minister under legislation; interpret and apply them to determine compliance requirements for new and renewal license applicants, whether to approve or deny applicants based on meeting or failing requirements; and what course of abatement action/enforcement to take to achieve compliance in well complaint investigations or inspections.
- Relevant Ministry/OPS related guidelines, policies and procedures for groundwater management, source water/drinking water protection, and private wastewater servicing policies, to provide expert technical advice to support the water well management program requirements (e.g. well contamination / interference issues).
- Well construction techniques and materials including well drilling, boring, augering, jetting, driving, of water supply wells and non-water supply test holes; emerging technology; well maintenance requirements; well abandonment techniques; well pump installation; ground water quality; to ensure well
contractors construct and install wells to legal standards and that resulting drinking water supplies are safe.
- oral and written communication skills to inform/advise applicants of the legislated and regulatory requirements for licensing and well owners of their obligations; to delivery training and presentations; to respond orally and in writing, to inquiries from stakeholders, clients and the media; and to prepare variety of education/communication materials (e.g. manuals, factsheets, technical bulletins).
-Computer skills to use standard office software to prepare documentation, to oversee the electronic processing of applications, and to provide program and wells industry knowledge in support of the design/enhancements to wells related applications to meet new or changing program requirements.
-Registered member in good standing, Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Advisory skills to explain legislation, regulations, compliance requirements to applicants, license holders and well owners with varied comprehension skills.
- Consultation, facilitation and negotiation skills to explain to applicants license denials, discuss reported sub- standard work, non-compliance, allegations which may result in licence suspension and to ensure well is constructed in accordance to O.Reg. 903.
- Presentation skills to develop and deliver training programs, make technical presentations and act as expert witness for the Crown.
- Influencing skills to represent branch/program perspective in development and updating of ministry legislation pertaining to water wells and ground water policies when serving on internal/external committees or technical teams.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analyzing and problem-solving skills to:
- Approve or deny licence applications based on analysis of demonstrated compliance and evaluation of reasonable and probable grounds.
- Assess, analyze and provide technical advice in accordance to O. Reg. 903 with respect to well construction, maintenance requirements to partners/stakeholders.
- Review referred allegations/complaints of non-compliance and provide technical advice to assist operations staff in determining violations and enforcement actions.
- Assist in conceptualizing and analyzing potential defenses against ministry enforcement/prosecution.
- Identify and assess incomplete, false and/or misleading information on licence applications and obtain proper and correct information to facilitate compliance.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Decision Making / Responsibility
Responsible for:
- Approval or denial of all provincial licence applications governing well construction based on consistent and objective review of all Ontario water well licence applications.
- Provide technical advice in accordance to O.Reg. 903, and the OWRA to protect the quality of drinking water in Ontario.
- Providing advice to ministry staff, staff throughout the OPS, stakeholders, clients and the media regarding the Regulations and issues management related to the water well management program.
- Ensuring relevant legislation reflects the ministry's current policy and direction.
Has latitude to: determine if compliance with statutes (i.e. licensing, well record submissions) is being demonstrated or not; determine if there is sufficient information/evidence to support charges of violations; develop communications and training programs to a variety of stakeholders; and
represent the branch/program on technical teams and committees.
Decisions are guided by: Ontario Water Resources Act, Environmental Protection Act, Provincial Offences Act, Regulations under these Acts, precedents, code of ethics.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

Contact - Internal :

Ministry staff (Operations Division, Drinking Water Management Division, Climate Change and Environmental Policy Division, Legal Services Branch) to provide advice and opinion on compliance, non-compliance and potential non-compliance, provide technical support in field investigations and prosecutions.
- Other ministries (Health and Long Term Care, Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, Natural Resources and Forestry) to advise on compliance and if matters brought forward are technically or legally defensible.

Federal agencies, municipalities and conservation authorities to provide technical advice on water wells.
- New licence applicants and existing licence holders (individuals and business owners) to advise on licensing qualifications, eligibility, request additional information and explain requests, respond to concerns.
- Well technicians, well contractors, environmental consultants, manufacturers and associations to provide advice/opinion on well construction, well legislation and regulations.
- Educational service provider to collaborate on setting up course requirements and training to provide required training for Well Contractors, Well Technicians and Assistant Well Technicians to meet legislative requirements.
- Media, to respond to inquiries regarding the program.
- Technical teams and committees, serve as program's technical advisor on water wells and ground water policies

Guidance / Supervision :

-Provides technical direction/advice to program support staff, including the wells licensing clerk, records officers, client services representatives and the help desk line.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Occasional unexpected work demands on short notice; e.g, court dates requiring preparation of evidence and wells training of abatement field staff.

Mental / Sensory :

-Daily, virtually continual periods of reading without interruption to review licensing information and applications.
- Daily, virtually continual periods of concentrating intently to review applications to assess facts and determine compliance, review complaints, determines completeness and correctness of information, and provides opinion.

Conditions / Environment :

- Work is performed in a typical office environment.
-Occasional exposure to threats from applicants denied licenses.
-Occasional travel to sites to support Operations Division and Drinking Water Management Division's with well-related compliance activities; and attend off site meetings with external client groups.