Ontario's Conservation…

Ontario's Conservation Authorities have been integral to Ontario's growth as a resilient, healthy, and prosperous province. Their work on helping the general public understand their natural environment (important in a province which relies on new Canadians from diverse parts of the world) as well as guide development is unparalleled. This work is only possible due to their local connections throughout the regions and municipalities they operate in. Their importance around flood control, reforestation, and aquatic life restoration contributes immeasurably to Ontario's ability to mitigate extreme weather events and maintain healthy environments.
Any governance/organizational/structural changes to CAs should, first and foremost, begin as "land-back" conversations with the relevant First Nations whose current and/or traditional territories the CAs are a part of. If retitling these areas to First Nations, as the protected areas they largely are, is not the end goal of these changes, then this undertaking is a deeply flawed one.
Changes to the jurisdictions, authorities, and mandates to the work and protected areas to Conservation Authorities should only be made with the input and desire from Ontarians after a real consultation process. The current proposed changes are flawed and undesirable. Do not make them.