This comment is submitted on…

This comment is submitted on behalf of the Huron Stewardship Council. The Huron Stewardship Council is a not-for-profit, volunteer organization, established in 1995, that works to conserve our natural spaces in Huron County for future generations through stewardship projects and outdoor experiences. Many of these projects are in partnership with our local conservation authorities.

Re: ERO 025-1257 Proposed boundaries for the regional consolidation of Ontario’s conservation authorities

As community members from across Huron County, we are deeply concerned about the proposal to centralize conservation authority services in Ontario under a large regional structure. Conservation authorities have long taken a local, watershed-based approach to managing natural resources, providing support to the many stewardship-minded landowners in our watersheds and addressing critical issues such as flooding, erosion, and environmental degradation. This work depends on local knowledge - a deep understanding of local biodiversity, geography, land use, and community needs.

It feels unrealistic to expect large, amalgamated bodies to deliver the same level of responsiveness and problem-solving that our current local authorities provide. Consolidating thirty-six conservation authorities into just seven would introduce significant geographical, logistical, and jurisdictional challenges; changes that would almost certainly hinder, rather than enhance, our ability to protect natural resources and support residents.

Our conservation authorities are funded through municipal levies (53%), self-generated revenue (35%), and provincial (8%) and federal (4%) grants, and they employ staff with specialized expertise in watershed management, conservation area operations, reforestation, habitat restoration, agricultural best practices, conservation education, and other skills rooted in the realities of our local watershed. The work the conservation authority staff do to get children outside and teach them about nature is invaluable. Effective land management and environmental stewardship require local knowledge and accountability; qualities that are at risk if decision-making is moved to a centralized, distant authority.

We are concerned about losing the close, community-based interaction that ensures conservation authorities remain directly accountable to local ratepayers. At a time when our environment is experiencing more severe storms, greater flooding risks, and increasing pressure on municipal infrastructure, we should be strengthening local capacity, not weakening it in the name of cost savings.

We are concerned that this proposal may be underrepresenting the many stewardship-minded farmers and rural landowners in Huron County who enjoy a close working relationship with their local conservation authority.

We recognize the importance of ensuring all conservation authorities have access to the best technology and watershed data, and wonder if this is a role that Conservation Ontario could provide with appropriate support.

The Huron Stewardship Council urges the province to give local knowledge, local relationships, outdoor experiences and the ongoing stewardship of important local natural spaces strong consideration to ensure our rural landowners and town centers continue to receive the highest level of support in restoring the natural systems that provide critical support to flood management and biodiversity. Conservation authorities must remain grounded in the communities and watersheds they serve.

Thank you for your consideration.