I am concerned about the…

I am concerned about the proposed merger of Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities into 7 regional authorities. While improving efficiency and consistency is important, I believe this approach risks losing local watershed expertise, community input, and effective environmental stewardship.

Recommendations:
Preserve local expertise: Ensure staff and programs with deep knowledge of individual watersheds are maintained.
Representation: Local municipalities and Indigenous communities must have meaningful voice in governance.
Number of regions: Consider consolidating into 10–14 regions instead of 7 to better balance efficiency with watershed-specific needs.
Environmental standards: Embed clear performance benchmarks for water quality, habitat protection, and flood management.
A 10–14 region model with transparent governance and strong local input would maintain environmental protections while improving operational efficiency.

Thank you for considering these points.