I am a resident of Thunder…

I am a resident of Thunder Bay and I'm OPPOSED to the Province’s proposed amalgamation of the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority (LRCA) with six other Southern Ontario Conservation Authorities to form the “Huron-Superior Regional Conservation Authority”. I support LRCA’s recommendation that the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority form a stand-alone regional conservation authority as the “Northwestern Ontario Regional Conservation Authority”.

Amalgamation with the southern authorities located 1,500 km away will not benefit the North, including the development community. There is no shared watershed or municipal connectivity with the southern authorities. The LRCA has over 70 years of experience representing the local watershed and does exceptional work. Amalgamation with conservation authorities so geographically distant will not reduce red tape; instead, it is likely to increase approval timelines and potentially raise permitting fees, particularly if consultation is required across such long distances. Expansion of its municipal jurisdiction could be considered to allow representation of a broader area of the North and its watershed.

Please consider the Northwestern Ontario Regional Conservation Authority recommended by the LRCA and municipalities.