As a resident of Eastern…

As a resident of Eastern Ontario and the chair of a land stewardship organization comprised of community volunteers, I strongly object to the amalgamation of Ontario's 36 Conservation Authorities into 7 huge regional groups, specifically Schedule 3 of Bill 68. "Conservation for the People by the People " was the motto of the conservation movement, when in 1946 in a spirit of cooperation muncipal leaders concerned about the the state of natural resources, worked with the government in the the creation of the Conservation Authority Act.

Local initiative was fundamental to the formation of each Conservation Authority. Recognition that conservation authorities must embody local needs and be led by local voices, was central to their establishment. Also fundamental was the understanding that solutions were NOT to be imposed from the government.

Amalgamation of 36 Conservation Authorities into 7 Regions – What’s at Stake ?

•These proposed changes are the latest in a systematic attempt to change the structure, remove local voices and local management of natural resources.
•Bill 68, The Plan to Protect Ontario Act, enables the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks to impose directions regarding the governance, programs and services, representing a loss of democracy.
•Failure to recognize the unique geology and environmental conditions of each watershed; loss of, flood resilience, water quality and the integrity of ecosystems
•The local voice will no longer be heard, lost in a regional system that will attempt to manage several watersheds with input from many municipal representatives.
•Local environmental organizations have partnered locally with Conservation Authories in many projects. These projects would not be possible without their programs, technical expertise and experience. Will such partnerships be possible in the future or will these partnerships represent yet another loss for our community.
Thank you for the opportunity.