I live within the Kettle…

I live within the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority (KCCA), and as a property owner with a small wetland I can attest to the excellence and commitment of every member of the staff in their service to the communities within their boundaries and to this beautiful area in the last remaining vestiges of the Carolinian Forest as it exists in Canada. They know every corner of the Kettle Creek watershed and can address its unique issues and challenges. KCCA is instrumental in helping local landowners protect and nurture native vegetation and in the equally important fight against invasive species. They are a trusted ally for all who care about our wild spaces as well as human safety. Let’s not forget that these 36 conservation authorities were established as a direct response to flooding and erosion. Now, as the consequences of a changing climate become increasingly apparent and alarming, we need the expertise of our localized CAs more than ever.

I have watched with great dismay as over the past few years this government made changes that severely undermined the mandate of our conservation authorities and their ability to effectively fulfill their role. However, this new sweeping proposal to consolidate the 36 conservation authorities into just seven – which would then be overseen by a new centralized provincial agency – will do even more harm in the long run. The proposed “Lake Erie Region” configuration would effectively create a monster, a geographically enormous and therefore administratively unwieldy entity. I believe that we will see more environmentally concerning issues arise that will never be addressed if this proposal becomes our new reality.

As I read one news article after another in newspapers from across our entire province, I can see that I am not a lone voice. Municipalities are vociferously objecting to this unnecessary change. The creation of seven large CAs, each one responsible for a vast area, is absurd. The current 36 CAs work because they ARE smaller and locally focused. This centralization notion could create conditions under which it is highly likely that critical local knowledge will be excluded from important decisions, leaving communities more exposed to flooding as well as other environmental harms.

Local expertise is the only way forward in these uncertain times. A local, hands-on understanding of how climate change is impacting plants, animals and people in specific areas will be more accurate and precise. The only way forward – if this province hopes to safeguard communities and ensure that nature can continue to support us by providing clean water and healthy ecosystems that in turn support agriculture, recreation and our health – is to allow all 36 CAs to continue to work at the more manageable micro level with Indigenous communities, municipalities and individuals.

I sincerely hope that this time the Ontario government will listen to our voices.