I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the amalgamation of the 36 conservation authorities into 7 regional authorities based on;
1. an unsubstantiated case for the consolidation, without any evaluation of the current CAs or performance metrics from the amalgamated CAs
2. Unclear funding model for the new CAs that cross multiple municipal boundaries
3. Significant long-term environmental and safety risks associated with diluting and dismantling the critical conservation programs, and reducing the CA’s ability to react in a timely manner to region-specific environmental issues.

In 2019, Premier Ford’s own appointed Special Advisor on Flooding, Doug McNeil was asked to review the provinces flood management system, following a summer of devastating floods. His report included a highlight of what was working- despite being Canada’s most populous province, Ontario accessed federal disaster relief funds less frequently than other provinces, not because of lower risk factors , but because its prevention systems work, thanks to the research and programs implemented and managed by the 36 conservation authorities. They work effectively to keep rural and urban areas safe. Once we lose these critical watersheds and floodplains, they cannot be restored. These region-specific CAs have the knowledge, experience and prioritization mandates to protect them.

Since 2018, the Province has changed land use planning processes and gutted environmental protections in the name of “cutting red tape”, but in 2025 housing starts are down to the lowest point in the last decade, with experts citing development and construction costs and existing lower cost inventory, not regulatory bottlenecks as the major roadblock.

As a resident of York-South Weston, the safety of my family and our home depends on the upstream programs that manage stormwater. We see the impacts of climate change to the south of us, in places like Florida, where homes are uninsurable by the private sector. I implore the Province to listen to the experts that understand the detrimental impacts of amalgamation.

Thank you