I have reviewed the…

I have reviewed the proposals outlined under this policy proposal and have several comments. I am very familiar with the operation of conservation authorities in my own region of the province and also have some knowledge of those in other regions.
Conservation Authorities were founded on the principles of watershed management, and partnerships between the province and local municipalities. The management of local watersheds through co-operative efforts of directly affected municipalities has been a great success story in Ontario. The one missing component in recent years has been financial support from the province. In the 1980s, conservation authorities received a greater proportion of funding from the province than they do now. Local CAs report that provincial funding amounts to only 2% of their budgets. Increased resources from the province would greatly improve their ability to meet conservation objectives.
I reviewed the proposed boundaries for the Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority. The proposed extent of this CA is far too large. Watershed management issues in London, Stratford, and Kitchener are dramatically different from those in Windsor and Essex County. The proposed Lake Erie CA includes 81 municipalities. This will be unwieldy to manage. The original concept of a conservation authority being a partnership between the province and municipalities will be lost. Given that municipalities provide the majority of funding for CA operations, those municipalities deserve a strong voice in managing the authorities. Local decision-making is essential, to help balance rural and urban interests. It is not clear how this could possibly happen for the proposed Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority. Rather than strengthening local partnerships, this massive consolidation will dramatically weaken those partnerships.
Consolidation on the scale proposed will no doubt have serious financial implications. A thorough cost-benefit analysis is essential before any decisions are made.
Another troubling example is the proposed Huron-Superior Regional Conservation Authority. The watershed management issues in rural southwestern Ontario are completely different from those near Thunder Bay. I find it difficult to imagine how this proposal could possibly be construed as providing improvements in service delivery.
It may be possible to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of some existing conservation authorities through updated technical guidelines, policies, and funding to support modernization of processes. Perhaps consolidation of operations on a more limited basis may be helpful in some regions.
In summary, I do not support the proposed consolidation of 36 conservation authorities to 7. I suggest a more appropriate action would involve a formal policy review process, where provincial staff meet with conservation authority representatives. In this way the province could gain knowledge of the constraints faced by conservation authorities. A review of this type would lead to establishment of collaborative solutions in areas where they are needed.