Ontario's Conservation…

Ontario's Conservation Authorities protect our communities through watershed management programs and planning decisions that ensure development is not located in hazardous flood or erosion-prone areas that could cost millions of dollars in damages.

Through a mix of floodplain mapping, monitoring, infrastructure upkeep and development regulations and so much more Conservation Authorities keep new development out of floodplains.

They have in fact made their greatest benefits nearly invisible, as a result new communities rarely flood, so residents aren't aware of problems that have been prevented.

Diminishing the role of Conservation Authorities is essentially a means to bypass critical protection measures and fast track planning in a way that is driven to build homes no matter what the costs are to people, biodiversity and the environment.

Bill 23, changes the role Conservation Authorities have in planning at a time when we need their expertise more then ever for flood prevention, healthy watersheds and improving climate resilience. Scientists have made a decisive link between climate change and more frequent and severe weather events which is very notable with each passing year.

If there are limited rules and regulations in place because the provincial government is attempting to entice developers removing Conservation Authorities from the planning process, and limiting their mandate and scope escalates concerns to do with flooding setting areas of Ontario up to repeating mistakes of the past. The health of our watersheds and communities would be negatively impacted by short-sighted cutbacks to Conservation Authorities.