conservation authorities…

conservation authorities rely on local community engagement to ensure and protect the environment and nearby communities from environmental crisis, including but not limited to flooding, groundwater damage, contamination, and more. this engagement would be impossible to achieve without the current flexibility and organizational structure in place within individual authorities. the members of these townships/cities/areas have a vested interest in the maintenance of their communities and homes. outsourcing this responsibility is a recipe for environmental disaster. most conservation authorities span across county and city lines, and therefore require a board of trustees with representation from each municipality present. these are dedicated community members who are irreplaceable given their expertise. amalgamating conservation authorities will result in a reduction of localized knowledge and service, and would completely eliminate the ability for conservation areas to effectively serve said communities. the proposed changes aim to benefit wealthy developers and outsourced benefactors- not the communities on which they reside. the people do not want their parks to become malls, apartment buildings, or mega mansions. we want funding for environmental protections, we want our children’s children to enjoy the environment they live in.