I am writing to oppose the…

I am writing to oppose the proposal to consolidate consolidate Ontario’s existing thirty six Conservation Authorities into seven large regional bodies and create a new Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency to provide “centralized leadership” and oversight. While the existing arrangement is not without problems. It provides local governance and democratic oversight at a local level. Where the most of the decisions have to be made and where most of the decisions are felt. Although the proposed agency is billed as being independent. Local governance will be curtailed. Forests and wetlands are not “undeveloped land” that needs to be sold to developers to be “developed”. Instead they are key elements of the vital infrastructure of the very natural environment that we all depend on. Forests help provide oxygen, sequester carbon, and foster the very biodiversity that we all depend on. Wetlands are vital for flood management and also contribute to the sequestration of carbon and foster biodiversity.

Conservation Authorities were created to serve the public good and rely on strong local democratic governance enable them to serve the very local communities. Reducing local governance and democratic oversight is not a solution. Ontario needs to invest in the conservation of this natural capital not treat it as surplus land to be sold to private interests. This natural capital belongs collectively to the citizens of Ontario.