Subject: Concerns About…

Subject: Concerns About Proposed Conservation Authority Consolidation (ERO #025-1257)

Dear Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks,

I am writing to express my concerns about the proposal to consolidate Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities into seven large regional bodies.

While I support modernization and improving consistency, I believe the proposed regional model is too large and will weaken local accountability and watershed-specific management. Effective watershed governance depends on strong local knowledge and partnerships, which could be lost under this plan.
Key concerns:

Loss of local focus: A region covering 81 municipalities risks distancing decision-making from watershed realities and community priorities.

Impact on investments: GRCA alone manages approximately $1 billion in flood infrastructure and 50,000 acres of conservation land. Large-scale consolidation could disrupt decades of locally guided investment and stewardship.

Municipal governance: If municipalities continue funding operations, they need a strong governance model that ensures meaningful input and influence on watershed issues.

Community relationships: Watershed management works because of local engagement. Oversized regions could dilute these relationships and reduce responsiveness to local needs.

I urge the Province to consider a smaller, more balanced regional approach based on existing Source Protection Regions. This would achieve modernization goals while preserving local expertise, municipal involvement, and the strong community partnerships that have made Ontario’s watershed management successful.

Thank you for considering my feedback.