I do not believe that the…

I do not believe that the reduced number of Conservation Authorities will be able to be responsive to local needs. In our area this year, a significant number of residences and farms had their wells go dry while others near rivers were fine. The local CA has knowledge of our watershed that a more centralized authority likely would not.

I am concerned that the proposed change is to "align with provincial needs". Where provincial policy is predominately made in Toronto (on one of the worlds largest bodies of fresh water), I do not believe that provincial policy will be able to adequately reflect the needs of the broader population in Ontario, especially rural residents who rely on well water. When was the last time a policy maker in Toronto had to tote water from a storage shed rain-barrel to have water to be able to flush a toilet or take laundry into the city to do wash because there was no water in their home to do so?

As we experience more extreme climate swings, a local knowledge of water, vegetation and wildlife is critical to be able to develop local solutions to problems.