What do you see as key…

What do you see as key factors to support a successful transition and outcome of regional conservation authority consolidation?

The most successful outcome would be to maintain control of local watersheds within local communities.

What opportunities or benefits may come from a regional conservation authority framework?

Few to none. The lack of local oversight envisioned by the proposed model will ensure that the people most affected by Conservation Authority decisions (i.e. local residents and taxpayers) are excluded from the decision-making process

Do you have suggestions for how governance could be structured at the regional conservation authority level, including suggestions around board size, make-up and the municipal representative appointment process?

1. Keep Conservation authorities in local hands. 2. Elect members directly from the community. Why infringe on local democracy by assuming members must be appointed?

Do you have suggestions on how to maintain a transparent and consultative budgeting process across member municipalities within a regional conservation authority?

This is very simple. Don’t add another layer of unaccountable provincial bureaucrats to the mix. Keep the decision making local and accountable to the communities being served within the existing framework.

How can regional conservation authorities maintain and strengthen relationships with local communities and stakeholders?

They can’t. Conservation Authorities need to be primarily local (not regional) organizations. The best path forward would be to keep them local and accountable to local communities. Burying local voices within a regional framework will only serve to disenfranchise local communities and stakeholders.