I am 24 years old, with an…

I am 24 years old, with an engineering undergrad, and I am now doing a master's of environmental studies. I plan to hopefully one day become a farmer. I also hope to work in the environmental sector, either at a conservation authority, another branch of government, as part of a research group or maybe for a first nation.

I am from the Cornwall area of Eastern Ontario. I worked as a summer student for the RRCA in 2022 and connected with the people there. I feel strongly that the local impact that the RRCA has is so much more valuable than any perceived efficiency increase in this amalgamation. The team at the RRCA sits down and has one on one meetings with individual farmers, land owners and community members and I know that the community appreciates this. The move toward greater efficiency always seems to decrease the number of human interactions we have and increase the amount of time we wait on hold on the phone. I feel this would be a huge loss to our community and I am saddened by this proposed change. No farmer from Bainsville is going to drive to Prescott to talk to someone from a different community who doesn't understand their land as well.

Furthermore, I intend to be an environmental professional, and upon graduating I'd like to return home to Cornwall. In a field where jobs are already highly coveted, it's disconcerting that the few jobs we do have are going to be shipped off to a more central location.

I'm not in support of this proposed amalgamation, and I hope we can maintain a more local, and community based system for watershed management.