I recognize the goal of…

I recognize the goal of reducing administrative duplication and strengthening accountability. However, consolidating Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities into seven raises significant concerns about environmental oversight and local knowledge. Each authority currently understands the unique characteristics of its watershed, hydrology, Species at Risk (SAR), land use pressures, and community needs. Managing such large consolidated regions risks stretching staff capacity, losing site-specific expertise, and overworking the remaining teams, ultimately reducing the quality and responsiveness of conservation work.
While the proposal suggests this change will free up resources for frontline conservation, it remains unclear what immediate conservation priorities will be addressed or how these savings will be reinvested into restoration, monitoring, or climate resilience. Ontario is facing increasing pressures from flooding, biodiversity loss, invasive species, and rapid development. Reducing jobs and environmental capacity during this period undermines the Province’s stated commitments to sustainability, especially given that only about 7% of Ontario’s lands are currently protected with a goal of 30% by 2030.
Housing and infrastructure development are important, but they cannot come at the expense of long-term environmental health. Conservation authorities play an essential role in safeguarding wetlands, forests, and waterways and natural systems that support climate resilience, protect communities from flooding, and maintain ecological integrity. Any restructuring must ensure that frontline conservation work is strengthened, not weakened, and that the Province continues to prioritize environmental protection alongside economic growth.
There is also an important employment dimension. Consolidation could significantly reduce staffing at a time when Ontario is facing growing pressures across multiple sectors including climate resilience, infrastructure demands, community safety, and local economic development. These challenges require more on-the-ground expertise and regional capacity, not less. Reducing staff resources in the name of administrative efficiency risks weakening the province’s ability to support municipal partners, and meet long-term sustainability and community planning goals.