At their meeting on May 15,…

At their meeting on May 15, 2019, Council of the Township of Georgian Bluffs passed Resolution Number RES2019-156:

Moved By: Deputy Mayor Sue Carleton
Seconded By: Councillor Ryan Thompson

WHEREAS Climate Change and flooding are mounting threats in Grey and Bruce Counties, and Conservation Authorities provide services including real-time flood forecasting, emergency planning support and water-related studies, and

WHEREAS, in 1996, the total provincial Section 39 Transfer Payment to all of Ontario’s conservation authorities for Flood and Erosion Control and Natural Hazard Prevention was reduced from $50-million to $7.4-million, and Grey Sauble Conservation Authority’s share of this payment has remained static at $71,779 since 1996, and

WHEREAS the recent Provincial Budget has further reduced Grey Sauble Conservation Authority’s Section 39 Transfer Payments from $71,779 to $37,055 or about 50%, and

WHEREAS this will affect emergency management supports and municipal planning, zoning and development input activities provided by Grey Sauble Conservation Authority, and

WHEREAS there is a provincial role in province-wide flood risks reduction and emergency management, and investments in prevention can potentially avoid or reduce losses to life and property and major expenditures during and after an emergency, and

WHEREAS the Ontario Government’s Proposal on the Environmental Registry of Ontario 013-5018 on Modernizing Conservation Authority (CA) Operations proposes to define a limited list of the core mandatory programs and services for CAs,

THAT the Township of Georgian Bluffs recognizes the value provided by the work of the CA, and supports the current multi-municipality governance model for the selection of programs, and the current municipal levying approach that includes annual input from Municipal Councils, and

THAT Council of the Township of Georgian Bluffs recommends that the province acknowledge a strong and positive provincial role in flood risk reduction programs and reinstate funding to CAs, and

THAT Staff be directed to provide a copy of this resolution to the Environmental Registry of Ontario (Proposal 013-5018) prior to the May 21st deadline, to AMO, and to Minister Bill Walker.