Hello, I do not support the…

Hello,

I do not support the ERO. As a resident living in the boundaries of the Hamilton Conservation Authority, I think it is VERY important that local decision making remains TOP priority.

With the way the ERO is currently written, the HCA will be amalgamated with 3 other MAJOR Conservation Authorities in the golden horseshoe. Instead of a Board of Directors consisting of the City of Hamilton and the Township of Puslinch, there will be potentially 28 municipalities sitting on a board. With this change, how could local decision making ever be prioritized? Even on HCA's board, only one member is from Puslinch. Would there even be a Puslinch board member with the amalgamation? Is this new board going to have over 30 members?

Why would a board member representing Mississauga, for example, want to approve a rehabilitation project in the Central Welland River area? They have no stake in that municipality and watershed, and that projects budget could go to a project in the Credit Valley area.

Keeping decision making locally appointed holds all parties accountable to the tax base they serve.

This is personally my biggest concern, however there are a myriad of other issues with this proposal.

Was there a business case created concluding this is the best decision?

Where is all of the data showing CA's being fragmented and causing delays in the permitting process? (Meanwhile, municipal planning and development departments keep projects held up for months, maybe even YEARS.)

Who is funding all of this?

How does this effect staff? At a press release it was stated there would be no job loss, however nothing is mentioned in the ERO.

What happens to the dozens of Foundation's set up to directly support their partnered CA?

Respectfully, I think amalgamating is not a good decision and should be tabled indefinitely.