The Corporation of the City…

The Corporation of the City of Timmins objects to the proposed regional boundaries and passed a resolution as follows:
WHEREAS the Conservation Authorities Act( 1946) enables municipalities to establish local
conservation authorities governed by municipally appointed boards and funded through
municipal levies; and
WHEREAS municipalities within the Mattagami watershed established the Mattagami Valley
Conservation Authority in 1961, which enlarged to the Mattagami Region Conservation Authority
MRCA) in 1974; and
WHEREAS the City of Timmins currently provides approximately 65% of the conservation
authority' s annual funding, while the Province contributes approximately 5%; and
WHEREAS municipalities have governed their respective conservation authorities for decades,
tailoring programs and services to local watershed needs, maintaining accountable service
standards, and ensuring fair and predictable costs for ratepayers; and
WHEREAS the Province possesses the authority to establish legislation, regulations, and
standards under the Conservation Authorities Act and its administrative Ministry; and
WHEREAS Bill 68 ( Schedule 3) proposes establishing the Ontario Provincial Conservation
Agency and consolidating Ontario' s 36 conservation authorities into seven regional authorities,
with municipal cost apportionment yet to be determined; and
WHEREAS Environmental Registry Notice ( ERO) # 025- 1257 proposes merging the Mattagami
Region Conservation Authority with the Nickel District, North Bay—Mattawa, and Sault Ste.
Marie Conservation Authorities to create a " Northeastern Ontario Region Conservation
Authority," forming a geographically fragmented region stretching from Sault Ste. Marie to
Timmins and southeast to Mattawa;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the City of Timmins requests that
the Government of Ontario maintain local, independent, municipally governed, watershed- based
conservation authorities to ensure strong local representation in decisions related to municipal
levies, community-focused service delivery, and the protections and management of
conservation lands; and
THAT while Council supports provincial goals for consistent permit approval processes, shared
services and digital modernization, imposing a new top-down agency structure without strong
local accountability and governance risks creating unnecessary cost and bureaucracy, thereby
undermining efficiency and responsiveness to local community needs; and
THAT Council supports efforts to enhance expertise, capacity and program delivery across the
Province, and requests that the Province work collaboratively with municipalities and local
conservation authorities to determine effective strategic consolidation to achieve both provincial
and local objectives; and
THAT Council opposes the consolidation of Ontario' s conservation authorities without knowing
the full financial and operational impact to municipalities and conservation authorities; and
THAT Council does not support the proposed boundary configuration for the " Northeastern
Ontario Region Conservation Authority" as outlined in ERO# 025- 1257; and
THAT Council recommends that the Mattagami Region Conservation Authority remain an
independent conservation authority serving the Mattagami watershed; and
THAT any future provincial governance framework includes clearly defined and robust municipal
representation, recognizing municipalities as essential partners in watershed protection and
environmental risk management; and
THAT a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario,
the Honourable George Pirie Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, MPP
Timmins, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and Opposition Critics, Local
Members of Provincial Parliament, Local Members of Parliament, the Association of
Municipalities of Ontario, Conservation Ontario, and all Conservation Authorities in Ontario.