Good afternoon, I submit…

Good afternoon,

I submit this concern on behalf of the W12A Landfill Public Liaison Committee in London, Ontario. A PLC that seats 13 people, including myself, its Chair, and speaks for our community of the former Westminster Township that was amalgamated with London, Ontario.

I have read the Proposed Conservation Authorities Transformation changes set out in Bill 68 and have some serious concerns regarding them. I feel it is imperative that the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority BE KEPT SEPARATE from the proposed amalgamation in this Bill 68 for a number of reasons.

Merging and making the new Conservation Authority will be a huge disservice to the Kettle Creek communities it has protected for many years. Keeping conservation local with local staff who know and are familiar with our local area and our community is key to keeping our conservation and watershed areas safe.

Losing the local decision making along with local staff will be a detriment to the conservation they have worked so very hard to build and maintain.

The proposed Lake Erie Region Conservation Authority Boundary is FAR TOO LARGE to be of any service to our local area. Especially with the W12A landfill in London, it is imperative that the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority Boundary NOT BE CHANGED to encompass this greater area.

The Kettle Creek Conservation Authority was built on local resources, local knowledge and local decisions. Local watershed management decisions and resources NEED to stay within the local Kettle Creek watershed as it currently sits.