Consolidating 36…

Consolidating 36 Conservation Authorities (CAs) into 7 is not likely to achieve the government’s goals, which include (1) addressing the current “fragmented” system, (2) reducing duplicative administrative costs and freeing up resources for front-line conservation, and (3) better aligning conservation authorities services with provincial priorities on housing, the economy, infrastructure and climate resilience.

(1) This province is massive, with very different geology, hydrology, ecological health, land use, flood risk, climate realities, etc. The current division of CAs is not “fragmented”, it reflects appropriate, science-based variation and local conditions. Watersheds are unique and require local experts with deep knowledge of specific rivers, floodplains, wetlands, and aquifers. Drought, flooding and erosion hazards, for example, can’t be managed effectively by one-size fits all standards, and smaller, local CAs are necessary.

(2) Large reorganizations consume resources; they do not free them. Large reorganizations are expensive, multi-year undertakings that are more likely to drain budgets and slow environmental work, especially at a time when climate-related pressures (drought, flooding) are already rising. Bigger bureaucracies often slow decisions down, rather than speed them up. Centralized permitting offices may lose local site familiarity, requiring more time to research environmental conditions before issuing decisions. If CAs are merged, this will likely lead to a loss of precision (generalization of watershed boundaries, de-prioritization of smaller sub-watersheds, or centralization of staff too far from the affected community) and poor watershed decisions which would lead to expensive floods, erosion, infrastructure damage, and reduced emergency response.

(3) This proposed consolidation of CAs may reflect the government’s goals (e.g., speeding up infrastructure development) but do not reflect many Ontarians’ values. Many of us prioritize healthy forests and wetlands; clean air and water; free-flowing rivers; and thriving wildlife. Efficiency isn’t everything and developers should have to take the time to consider environmental effects.

The Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency will hopefully be beneficial in providing better tools, resources, and updated systems for CAs, but there should remain smaller, local CAs that reflect ecologically unique watersheds and represent the goals and values of the people who live in them. Decision-making should be in the hands of smaller local CAs who hear directly from the developers, businesses and residents interacting with those local CAs.