As a resident of Ontario who…

As a resident of Ontario who lives in Ottawa, I am writing to voice my opposition to the Ontario government's proposed changes to the conservation authority (CA) system, which would consolidate 36 agencies into seven. I have read about several experts' opinions on this matter and have weighed the key points on each side. The side in favour of these proposed changes is much less compelling than the side that opposes them.

The best analysis I have read so far comes from Jonathan Scott, councillor for Bradford West Gwillimbury and chair of the Nottawasago Valley Conservation Authority board. In an interview with The Narwhal, Scott argued the following: "The government is right to want a conservation authority system that is more consistent, transparent and efficient, especially when it comes to supporting housing and economic growth...There may be room for targeted, sensible consolidation in Ontario’s conservation system, but moving from 36 authorities to just seven would be a drastic shift...A merger of that scale could create a larger, more distant bureaucracy that is less responsive to local municipalities, developers and farmers — exactly the people who need timely service and value having a local municipal official or trusted member of staff they can call directly...Losing that connection could slow approvals, create confusion and ultimately have the opposite effect of what the government intends."

Secondly, I also agree with the opinion of the group Ottawa Riverkeeper, which has written on its web site: "One of the great benefits that Conservation Authorities provide is a deep understanding of the local waterways within their purview, and sharing that information and analysis with communities. The proposed groupings of Conservation Authorities lack local nuance and do not consider the specific needs and unique challenges across regions. It is yet another major step backwards on conservation in Ontario."

Given my agreement with Scott's and Ottawa Riverkeeper's arguments that these changes would actually be inefficient, provide a disservice to farmers and others who rely on Conservation Authorities who have vast stores of local knowledge, and significantly harm conservation efforts in this province, I urge the Ontario government not to adopt these changes. Thank you for your consideration.