I am opposed to the proposed…

I am opposed to the proposed boundaries for the regional consolidation of Ontario’s conservation authorities and I have concerns about the proposal.
- Efficiencies in communication and collaboration between Conservation Authorities already exist; a restructuring of the boundaries is not necessary and will only add complexity to the way that Conservation Authorities operate with added processes, barriers, and rules that will hinder the work that they do.
- One strength of the current structure of Conservation Authorities is the ability to provide local, tailored services and specialized knowledge to their municipalities. If the Conservation Authorities become much larger than they are, the services and programs that are provided to communities will become much less impactful on the environment and the people that enjoy these areas. We cannot apply broad services to areas that have unique needs and challenges. For example, some regions require more resources for flood monitoring and prevention, and other areas require more management of invasive species, each region is currently able to allocate resources in a way that is best suited for the environment.
- The creation of large governing boards for Regional Conservation Areas will include from tens to over a hundred municipalities, eliminating the decision-making abilities of local municipalities that communities rely on. Under consolidation, local municipal representatives would have much less say within a large regional board, with decisions being made by representatives unfamiliar with local conservation authorities' urban growth, infrastructure challenges, or municipal needs.
- There will be massive costs of restructuring, including re-evaluating staff, IT systems, Data management system, new branding and corporate restructuring - who will pay for all of this? This will also require a lot of resources and lead to delayed services and possible job losses throughout the province.
- It is clear that the municipalities that fund Conservation Authorities are largely against the Proposed Boundaries because it will reduce efficiency and effectiveness for communities and the environment.
- A disruption of services due to restructuring could have significant detrimental impacts with regards to flood forecasting and monitoring, which is essential for the safety of our communities.
- Nothing has been presented by the province regarding evidence that the changes will be positive for Ontarians - will the changes speed up permitting, reduce duplication of work, save money? There is no business case or cost analysis, and this only seems like a negative decision for the people who enjoy our Conservation Authorities and communities around them.