I strongly oppose the…

I strongly oppose the proposal as provided by the Province of Ontario. Below are my thoughts:

-Conservation Authorities work best when decisions are made close to the land and the people affected
-Local knowledge of soils, drainage, flood risk, and land use is critical to safe and sustainable development
-Watershed-based boundaries are grounded in science, not convenience, and should be preserved
-Conservation Authorities in Eastern Ontario deliver timely reviews and permitting that support housing and infrastructure
-Rural communities need strong representation and should not be marginalized in large regional systems
-Conservation lands were built through community donations and partnerships and should remain locally stewarded
-People expect their governments to take environmental priorities seriously — and that includes funding them properly
-Provincial funding now represents only about 3% of Conservation Authority operations; this is not an equal partnership
-Any restructuring or consolidation must be fully funded by the Province, so municipal tax dollars are not redirected away from local services
-Communities want to see the Province return to an equal funding partnership with municipalities
-Modernization can and should happen without dismantling local governance
-If amalgamations are pursued, they should be voluntary, appropriately scaled, and fully funded
-Conservation Authorities are committed to working collaboratively with municipalities, residents, farmers, and Indigenous communities — and this cooperative model should be strengthened, not replaced