This proposal diminishes the…

This proposal diminishes the important work of regional conservation authorities in their goal to maintain region-specific conservation, preservation, and tourism goals.

I live in adjacent to the DVCA which is currently overseen by the HCA. The specific regional knowledge and understanding not only of the environmental landscape but of the local climate, traffic, tourism, urban planning, and other areas of priority are essential to maintain a strong conservation landscape.

Permits related to growth and development adjacent to public green spaces require local understanding and knowledge of the city’s master development plan and cannot simply be glossed over by a broad “Southwestern Ontario Plan”.

Here in Hamilton we have a Master Waterfalls Plan in development, which aims to conserve public green spaces while accommodating and capitalizing on local tourism, maintaining road safety, traffic control, and development of adjacent areas including parking lots etc. This is a multidisciplinary initiative which require local input from municipal authorities outside the HCA but local to the community. How can we expect a broad conservation authority to have the expertise and collaboration required to execute such an important plan in our city?

I urge stakeholders to reconsider this plan and consider alternatives to streamline conservation authority activities from an administrative rather than strategic or executional perspective, to ensure preservation of our important local green spaces.