I have had nothing but…

I have had nothing but horrible experiences with my local conservation authority. Specifically entering my property unlawfully, bully tactics, lies, manipulation of the Conservation Authority Act and harassment.

I was recently approached by C.A. for clearing some shrubs off a portion of land I intend to farm. My land is provincially designated as prime agricultural land and there is no regulations from any authority preventing the clearing to farm. They approach using sneaky tactics and lie their way through claiming they can enter my property to look for violations even though I was doing nothing wrong. I am completely SICK of this organization bullying and sneaking onto private lands! If land is regulated it needs to be CHANGED IN THE MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY OFFICIAL PLANS SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THE REGULATIONS. My land was regulated by this conservation authority in 2006 and I was completely unaware of it until 2014 when I moved some earth from a high spot on my property to a lower spot to help with refusing highway salty water that is dumping on my land due to a lack of ditching along the highway. I found C.A. staff member taking soil samples on my property without permission or notification which is completely against the C.A Act. A year and a half of hell is all I can say about that experience. They blew the sale of my property for bogus violations that were later dismissed and I hoped to never have to see them again. How can land owners not be aware their land is regulated??? NO NOTICES??? Does not make sense, does not even seem legal!

This conservation authority is extremely rude, completely unreasonable and in my opinion...dangerous. They have no respect for private land owners rights and Im afraid of what might happen if they get any more power.

There is no one overseeing them so they literally don't care how they treat private land owners, its a complete disgrace and an embarrassment to the Ontario government that they have gotten the power they have with no governing. I am appalled every time I am even reminded of their existence.

I have artificial wetlands on my property that were created due to a farm drain lacking maintenance, my property is now flooding because the conservation authority is so unreasonable in allowing me to clean out the drain. They are promoting flooding, not preventing. They are gaining more and more regulations over farmland they have no business regulating as they are not qualified.

I see there is a modifications in the works regarding MUNICIPAL DRAINS. The drains on my property are not "municipal", they are "private award drains" that my neighbours will not agree to convert to municipal drains. WILL THESE PRIVATE AWARD DRAINS BE INCLUDED IN THE PERMIT EXEMPTION? Furthermore, the LSRCA is issuing permits to higher lands for cleaning their section of this drain despite my section being plugged at the box culvert. I have contacted the Drainage Act and they have confirmed this is illegal according to the drainage act yet there is nothing I can do about it!!??? All I want to do is clean these drains so my property isn't flooding, I am required under the drainage act to keep my section cleared but they will not allow me to do so reasonably. Its a complete joke!! I am left watching the water flood my property higher and higher each year hoping it does not flood my house which has a walk out basement. My land show more and more characteristics of a wetland every year because there is a plugged drain on my property! I am completely at my wits end with them, they make zero sense!

It seems they are promoting flooding=more wetlands=more regulations. MONEY AND POWER IS THEIR PRIORITY!! This is completely unjust!

Their permits are outrageous and you cannot get answers from them until you apply for a permit with full payment, regardless of approval or not. Approvals are denied for frivolous reasons, if your lucky to be approved they make things so complicated beyond any common sense its not worth doing. They are an unorganized mess, they make zero sense, they are unprofessional, their website is full of spelling mistakes, and they make things up as they go along. They should NOT be a governing force, they are completely incapable. Municipalities, MNRF, MOE etc should only be regulating private citizens lands. PLEASE do something to undue them regulating private lands.

It is my strong opinion that Conservation authorities should NOT be regulating private lands at all.

Best Regards