I strongly oppose the…

I strongly oppose the proposed consolidation of Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities (CAs) into seven regional bodies, as outlined in the recent proposal posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario. This drastic restructuring, which includes the creation of a central agency and the amalgamation of locally-focused watershed management bodies, represents a significant and detrimental shift away from the foundational principles of effective environmental protection and natural hazard management in the province.

The current system of 36 Conservation Authorities is a globally recognized model, rooted in the principle of watershed-based management. Each CA was established to manage a distinct watershed, an area of land that drains all streams and rainfall into a specific lake, bay, or river. This structure ensures that management decisions are informed by intimate, local knowledge of the unique geology, hydrology, land use, and flood-risk patterns of that specific area.

The proposed consolidation into seven large, regional bodies, based primarily on Great Lakes watersheds, fundamentally ignores this critical local variation. As noted by experts, a single regional authority could span vast distances and encompass numerous, distinct natural systems. For example, the proposed Huron-Superior CA would cover an area roughly the size of Switzerland, with vastly different conditions and needs across its 78 municipalities. Creating a larger, more distant bureaucracy will inevitably make the system less responsive to the needs of local municipalities, developers, and farmers, potentially slowing down approvals and creating confusion. This is quite the opposite of the government’s stated goal of “efficiency”.

The original purpose of CAs, strengthened after Hurricane Hazel in 1954, was to prevent deadly flooding. Removing the localized focus and expertise from flood-risk monitoring and regulation places communities and property at greater risk, especially as Ontario faces increasingly extreme weather events due to climate change.

This proposal is the latest in a series of legislative changes, including those introduced through Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster Act), that have systematically weakened the ability of Conservation Authorities to protect the environment and regulate development in sensitive areas. The consolidation appears to be a further step in prioritizing development interests over environmental and technical considerations, a pattern that has already been criticized in multiple watchdog reports, including those related to the Greenbelt scandal.

The government’s stated goal of achieving “consistency, transparency and efficiency” can be achieved through targeted reforms and improved provincial oversight, not through a sweeping, one-size-fits-all amalgamation that sacrifices the proven effectiveness of local control.

Instead of dismantling a successful, watershed-based system, the government should focus on strengthening the existing CAs, ensuring they are adequately funded, and restoring their full mandate to protect people and property from natural hazards based on local ecological realities.

I recommend that the government:

1. Immediately withdraw the proposal for the consolidation of Conservation Authorities.
2. Commit to maintaining the current 36 watershed-based Conservation Authorities.
3. Focus on collaborative, targeted reforms to improve consistency and efficiency without sacrificing local expertise.

Thank you for considering this critical public comment.