I am writing to express…

I am writing to express strong opposition to the proposed consolidation of Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities. This proposal cannot be viewed in isolation from the government’s recent track record: four legislative changes in six years have already weakened conservation authorities’ independence, reduced their ability to protect wetlands and water quality, and expanded ministerial override powers. The 2023 Greenbelt watchdog reports confirmed that development interests were repeatedly prioritized over science and public interest. This move raises significant concerns about further erosion of environmental safeguards.

Consolidation risks diminishing local decision-making, weakening municipal voices, and distancing watershed management from the communities that depend on it. Large regional boards would dilute local expertise and reduce accountability, despite conservation authorities’ decades of successful, locally grounded work. The lack of clarity on governance structure, board composition, and representation—especially for municipalities, First Nations communities, and scientific experts—adds to the concern. Claims that consolidation will improve efficiency overlook the likely disruption to staff capacity, scientific continuity, and on-the-ground relationships essential for effective watershed protection.

Ontario’s conservation authority model has worked precisely because it is watershed-based, independent, and grounded in local knowledge. Instead of centralizing control and restructuring the system, your government should restore science-based decision-making, reinstate strong environmental oversight, and invest in the staffing and resources authorities need to protect communities from floods and natural hazards. Many Ontarians remain deeply skeptical of this proposal, and for good reason: it risks weakening, not strengthening, the environmental protections that safeguard our land, water, and public safety.