I strongly oppose Ontario’s…

I strongly oppose Ontario’s proposal to consolidate Conservation Authorities into seven large entities. Conservation Authorities were intentionally established as watershed-based organizations, reflecting the reality that flooding, erosion, groundwater, and ecological systems do not follow political or administrative boundaries. Consolidation would weaken this foundational principle and risk undermining decades of effective, science-based watershed management.

Local Conservation Authorities possess critical place-based knowledge of their watersheds, infrastructure, and communities—knowledge that cannot be easily transferred or scaled up without loss of accuracy and responsiveness. Larger, centralized authorities would be less agile, slower to respond to local flooding and emergency events, and more disconnected from municipal partners and residents.

This proposal also raises concerns about reduced accountability and transparency. Smaller, regionally focused Conservation Authorities allow municipalities and the public to meaningfully engage in decision-making. Consolidation risks prioritizing high-growth or high-revenue areas at the expense of smaller or rural watersheds that still face significant flood, erosion, and environmental risks.

At a time of increasing climate uncertainty, Ontario should be strengthening local watershed management, not diluting it. Effective flood protection, natural hazard management, and environmental stewardship depend on detailed local data, long-standing relationships, and regional expertise. Consolidation would compromise these strengths and could ultimately increase costs, risks, and delays to both communities and development.

I urge the Province to reconsider this proposal and instead invest in improving coordination, data sharing, and funding stability across existing Conservation Authorities—without dismantling the locally driven, watershed-based framework that has proven effective for decades.