I do not support the…

I do not support the proposal to merge Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities into 7 large regional bodies. This approach risks undermining both the effectiveness and accountability of local watershed management.

Conservation Authorities were established on a watershed basis, recognizing that environmental issues like flooding, erosion, and water quality are best managed locally by people who understand the land and the communities it serves. The proposed regional model would replace that with distant boards and administrative structures that may not reflect the realities on the ground.

In Southwestern Ontario, where dozens of small and mid-sized municipalities work closely with their local CAs, this change would mean longer communication lines, slower permitting, and weaker relationships with landowners and farmers. The idea of having over 100 municipalities represented in a single regional CA is simply unworkable — it dilutes accountability and reduces meaningful local input.

If consistency and efficiency are the goal, a central oversight agency and shared digital permit platform would achieve that without dismantling local governance. Local expertise and municipal collaboration should be strengthened, not absorbed into larger bureaucracies.

I urge the Ministry to maintain the existing local Conservation Authority framework and reject the amalgamation proposal.