The proposed amalgamation is…

The proposed amalgamation is preventing and overshadowing beneficial, transparent discussions on how to improve conservation authorities. Any reform must be transparent, evidence-based, and proportionate to the issues it seeks to address.
Meaningful consultation with municipalities, conservation authorities, and stakeholders is essential to maintain public trust and avoid unintended consequences. Decisions of this magnitude will shape watershed management, land conservation, and service delivery for decades, and therefore must be supported by clear business cases, performance metrics, and staged implementation plans.
A central concern is the protection of conservation authority lands and infrastructure that have been acquired and maintained through decades of local municipal investment, partnerships, and donor support. The proposed dissolution of existing conservation authorities and automatic transfer of all assets to new regional entities, without clear legislative safeguards, creates significant risk to transparency, accountability, and donor intent. Without binding asset-protection and transition agreements, there is a real risk that locally funded lands and reserves could be redirected to broader regional priorities, undermining municipal confidence, breaching agreements, and discouraging future donations. Conservation authority lands must remain conserved for their original watershed purposes, with clear, enforceable protections that ensure assets continue to benefit the communities that invested in them.

Funding reform must not be to the detriment of conservation authorities or their municipal partners. A sustainable, long-term funding model for the Provincial Agency and any regional structures must not rely on redirecting conservation authority levies or municipal contributions away from local watershed priorities. Transparent budgeting and predictable apportionment formulas are critical to maintaining municipal accountability. Budget processes must remain open, understandable, and aligned with municipal budget cycles, with early engagement and clear reporting on how funds are allocated and used.

Modernization goals can be achieved through regulatory and policy improvements, establishment of the Agency, and enhanced coordination, without disruptive, system-wide consolidation. Where change is contemplated, it should proceed cautiously, with transparency at its core, strong protections for conservation lands and assets, and funding mechanisms that strengthen rather than weaken conservation authorities’ ability to deliver effective, locally responsive watershed management.