Re 025-1257. It is a poor…

Re 025-1257. It is a poor idea to consolidate conservation authorities. The reason they are effective in controlling flooding and erosion and protecting the environment is because they have a body of knowledge of the area they protect. By making this area bigger, they will have difficulty keeping track of local needs and details of the landscape.

I suspect the province is making this proposal to smooth the way for more development on conservation land. Like the Greenbelt grab and the destruction of Wasaga Beach provincial park, the Ford administration values developer profits over recreation opportunities for Ontarians. As cities become more dense, people need green spaces more than ever and not hours away by car. Removing the existing conservation boards gives the province a chance to pack the new authorities with developer-friendly cronies who do not value the environment and who deny flooding and erosion risk. The voices of local people will be lost in the shuffle.