The Municipality of Neebing…

The Municipality of Neebing strongly opposes the proposed governance changes under Bill 68 (Schedule 3), which would create the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency (OPCA) and consolidate Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities into seven regional bodies. Our concerns include:

- Loss of Local Accountability: Conservation authorities have been municipally governed for decades, ensuring programs reflect local watershed needs and maintaining trust, particularly for lands donated by residents for long-term stewardship.

- Unclear Financial Impact: The Province has not disclosed the cost of establishing and operating the OPCA or consolidating authorities, nor the impact on municipal levies and ratepayers.

- Risks of Centralization: A top-down agency could increase costs, bureaucracy, and reduce efficiency, while diminishing local representation and responsiveness.

- Geographic Impracticality: The proposed “Huron-Superior Regional Conservation Authority” boundary is disconnected from local watershed realities, as the Lakehead Region is over 1,300 km from other authorities in the grouping.

Recommendations:

- Maintain local, watershed-based conservation authorities.

- Provide full cost transparency before implementing changes.

- Collaborate with municipalities to balance expertise and program delivery.

- Instead of adding the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority to the "Huron-Superior Regional Conservation Authority", form a “Northwestern Ontario Regional Conservation Authority.”

- Engage directly with affected municipalities before finalizing any changes.

The Municipality supports modernization goals but it needs to be done while preserving local governance, accountability, and cost-effectiveness.

The full resolution passed by Council is attached.