My family has farmed on land…

My family has farmed on land within the Grand and Credit River watershed area for five generations. We have lived with the long-term consequences of flooding, drainage decisions, land-use planning, and watershed management, and we take stewardship of this land and water seriously.

For that reason, I am deeply concerned about the proposed consolidation of Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities into 7 regional authorities, particularly the creation of a large Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority that would combine the Grand, Thames, and Sydenham systems.

I recognize the Province’s stated goals of improving efficiency, consistency, and capacity. However, from the perspective of agricultural producers and watershed communities, the proposed scale of consolidation risks undermining the very strengths that have made conservation authorities effective.

The Grand and Credit River watersheds have distinct hydrology, soils, flood histories, land-use pressures, and municipal contexts. Their conservation authorities have developed deep, place-based expertise and long-standing working relationships with municipalities, farmers, and local communities. This local knowledge and accountability are essential for sound permitting decisions, flood management, and watershed protection.

Legal authority to act does not replace the need for locally accountable governance, particularly when decisions directly affect land, water, flood risk, and agricultural livelihoods.

Consolidation at this scale risks diluting local expertise, weakening municipal and community accountability, and centralizing decision-making in ways that are increasingly removed from local hydrological realities. With climate change increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, preserving locally grounded, science-based watershed governance is more important than ever.

If the Province’s objective is to strengthen conservation authorities, I urge consideration of alternatives that preserve local decision-making — such as shared services, targeted provincial resourcing, and improved coordination — rather than large-scale structural consolidation that risks eroding public trust and effective stewardship.

For these reasons, I do not support the consolidation as currently proposed, and I urge the Province to reconsider the boundaries and governance model, particularly for the Grand and Credit River systems.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback.