I am deeply concerned about…

I am deeply concerned about the proposed consolidation of Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities into 7 much larger authorities. This will result in much less local oversight of the individual watersheds that these 36 conservation authorities have been working to protect for many years. I understand that the new conservation authorities will be run by political appointees. It follow that they will be able to disregard environmental concerns in favour of political expediency.
Locally, as a member of the City of Stratford’s Energy & Environment Committee, the Stratford & District Horticultural Society, and Climate Momentum, I know first hand how stressed the watersheds in our region are, and how much effort it takes to protect them. The current conservation authority in our area makes science based decisions using local expertise and the experience of long-term stewardship. The staff work hard to provide flood protection, watershed protection, community safety and habitat protection. By giving oversight to a central authority, we will lose the ability to work closely with these knowledgeable individuals who have protected our communities so well for so long.
The amalgamation of schools and health care authorities has already shown us that neither cost savings nor more efficient service are a result of centralization. The plan to streamline all the conservation authorities under a new layer of central authority under Bill 68, a “Plan to Protect Ontario Act” appears to be designed less to protect our waterways than to silence local opposition to development that will further harm our waterways.
We urge you to reconsider Bill 68 so that future generations will have safe drinking water rand safe communities rather than urban sprawl by developers who will no longer be accountable.