Conservation Authorities…

Conservation Authorities play a unique role in Ontario and fulfill critical roles in creating new applicable science and knowledge to manage our communities as watersheds.

The roles they play in urban and rural forestry, green infrastructure, education, stewardship, and science are nontrivial and are leading to healthier and stronger communities. Investment in these programs pays off tenfold for taxpayers by building more resilient communities - reducing costs associated with flooding and health impacts relating to a lack of greenspace (urban heat islands and poor air quality).

Furthermore, Conservation Authorities play an important role in sustainable forest management, a role that in southern Ontario used to be filled by the Province but now falls to municipalities that are not able to act in the same coordinated effort with dedicated resources. Having Conservation Authorities continue this role is fiscally responsible and protects taxpayers and voters from paying down the line for poor land management on private lands.

Do not make amendments that would reduce the function of Conservation Authorities. The people of Ontario do not want that and we have already voiced our concern after your recent cuts to the 50 million tree program. The people of Ontario care about forests and good land stewardship.

An additional mandatory program area of “conservation of natural resources” should be added to capture some of the core programs and services that have long been part of Conservation Authority work is necessary.

Reducing the function of Conservation Authorities will lead to less healthy and less resilient communities, more stress in times of disaster and strains on the mental and physical healthcare system.