Leave Conservation…

Leave Conservation Authorities Alone

Although conservation authorities (CAs) were established by the Province, they receive minimal provincial funding. Municipalities provide the majority of their financial support and should therefore retain the authority to determine whether CA services deliver value to their communities. The provincial government should stop interfering in municipal matters—such as bike lanes, traffic cameras, and green building standards—and instead focus on underfunded systems like health care and public education.

CAs are not the primary cause of delays in development approvals. Based on 16 years of experience in environmental consulting, much of the delay arises from developers repeatedly pushing for reduced buffers and expanded footprints, despite proposals that would otherwise be acceptable to CAs. This strategy leads to unnecessary revisions, prolonged negotiations, and wasted time. If the Province is serious about addressing housing supply, it should prioritize redevelopment within existing urban areas rather than environmentally destructive and very costly and time-consuming greenfield development.

This government has already weakened the role of CAs, shifting environmental protection to municipalities that often lack the required expertise. The proposal to further erode CA capacity—under the guise of “frontline” redeployment—appears to be a mechanism for cutting jobs while undermining environmental oversight. Such short-sighted decisions jeopardize public safety, climate resilience, and long-term environmental health.

Amalgamating 36 CAs into seven would create years of disruption and inefficiency. A more responsible approach would be to work with CA professionals to identify best practices and implement consistent guidelines across watersheds. These decisions should be informed by experts with direct experience, not politically appointed individuals without environmental credentials.

Ontarians, along with many municipalities, have clearly voiced their opposition to this policy. The Province must listen. We do not need another Greenbelt scandal. Stop undermining institutions that protect our communities and focus instead on the real challenges facing this province.