I am opposed to the proposal…

I am opposed to the proposal to consolidate our 36 Conservation Authorities into 7 CAs, which will cover such large areas of the province. This change needs to be studied with regard to how information about watersheds over very large areas of the province will be collected and integrated into decision-making. I suspect that it will be impossible for staff to monitor and be aware of the needs of multiple watersheds, dozens of communities, and countless natural habitats, in order to make effective decisions regarding watershed management. It is essential to preserve local study, monitoring and decision -making. This is not possible when decision-making is in the hands of a centralized authority.
The current CA structure and local decision-making allows for flexibility and distinct local needs to be considered.
The proposal states that 'inconsistencies' in policy and implementation will be resolved by this consolidation, but does not say how these presumed inconsistencies are problematic. The regional 'inconsistencies' need to be studied to see whether they exist to best meet the needs of the local municipalities and watersheds.
Any changes in the CA structure must preserve staffing levels, so watersheds can be monitored and planned well, and changes must also be based on study which determines what specific shortcomings are addressed by consolidation.