As a resident of…

As a resident of Northwestern Ontario, I wish to voice my opposition to the amalgamation of the Lakehead Regional Conservation Authority (LRCA) into the proposed Huron-Superior Regional Conservation Authority.
The LRCA is the only conservation authority in Northwestern Ontario, providing services to not only the municipality of Thunder Bay but also surrounding townships of Dorian, Neebing, Conmee, Paipoonge, O’Connor, Gillies, and Shuniah. We are an isolated but tight-knit set of communities with unique needs that differ greatly from southern counterparts. The proposed amalgamation groups the LRCA with six other conservation authorities on Lake Huron, 1300km away. Eighty municipalities would fall under this proposed conservation authority, with a single representative on a provincial board.
The proposed amalgamation is very concerning and displays a general misunderstanding of the current need for and operation of the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority.
First, it is unclear what would happen to the levies paid by the municipalities to maintain and support the local conservation authorities. An amalgamated system suggests that our levies – and therefore the taxes we pay to our own municipality – would increase to reflect the larger area covered, while areas like Toronto would not see a steep increase at all. Nowhere in the proposed legislation do I see clear guidelines for how Thunder Bay and surrounding townships would be taxed to support either the provincial agency or the regional operations.
Second, a mandate of the new provincial Agency is to provide oversight of modernization projects. A key aspect of this is providing more predictable and faster permit approvals. However, the LRCA currently provides permitting services in less than a week, which far exceeds the Province’s stated expectations. While a standardized provincial system would be welcomed, it should continue to be managed by the staff at the LRCA, who are already providing efficient permitting services.
Third, amalgamation of the LRCA into the proposed Huron-Superior conservation area does not capture the unique environment in which the LRCA watersheds exist. Encompassing the edge of the Boreal Forest and the Canadian Shield, our hydrogeological context is different than any other conservation authority in the province, and our conservation authority must respond to the specific context in which it operates.
Fourth, this legislation has been proposed to reduce duplication and overlap among municipalities while increasing the service continuity of the conservation authority system. As the only Conservation Authority in the Northwest, the LRCA does not overlap with any other in Ontario. In addition, the LRCA currently provides excellent delivery of services, programs, permits and flood forecasting. It is clear that none of the efficiency-related reasons for the proposed change apply to the LRCA
It is clear that the proposal to create the Huron-Superior Conservation Authority needs to be revisited with consideration for the specific nature on the watersheds involved.
In order to maintain the excellent level of service delivery and in reflection of its unique nature and isolation, the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority should form the Northwestern Ontario Regional Conservation Authority and be standalone as the 8th Regional Conservation Authority.