I am writing as a resident…

I am writing as a resident of Wellesley and as someone who has long valued the essential work of the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) in protecting our community, our drinking water, and the health of the Nith River watershed. I am deeply concerned about the proposed changes under Bill 68, which would significantly restructure Ontario’s conservation authorities and centralize control under a new provincial agency.

For small rural communities like ours, these changes pose serious risks.

1. Loss of Local Expertise and Accountability

The GRCA has decades of on‑the‑ground experience with the Nith River, its tributaries, wetlands, moraines, and groundwater systems. This local knowledge is irreplaceable. Bill 68 would remove decision‑making from local boards and shift authority to a centralized provincial body, weakening the ability of communities to oversee the watersheds they fund and depend on.

2. Weakened Environmental Oversight During a Time of Climate Risk

Climate change is already intensifying floods, erosion, drought, and extreme weather. Conservation authorities were created precisely to manage these risks. Reducing their independence and merging 36 authorities into seven large regional bodies will make oversight less responsive, less informed, and less effective.

3. Increased Developer Influence and Reduced Public Input

Bill 68 aligns planning decisions with “provincial interests,” giving developers more power while reducing meaningful accountability. The Auditor General has already found that the province has repeatedly ignored municipal and public input on environmental matters, including proposals like this one. Weakening conservation authorities will only accelerate development in floodplains, wetlands, and sensitive watersheds—putting communities at risk.

4. A System That Already Works

Conservation authorities are not barriers to development. They prevent costly mistakes by mapping floodplains, identifying hazards, and ensuring safe, sustainable growth. If the province wants faster permit approvals, the solution is to provide conservation authorities with adequate resources—not dismantle a system that has protected Ontario communities since 1946.

5. Risks of Large‑Scale Mergers

Every watershed is unique. Water moves differently through different landscapes, and the risks associated with flooding, erosion, and development vary widely. Merging authorities across vast regions will create a distant bureaucracy that is less responsive to local municipalities, farmers, and residents. It may slow approvals, increase confusion, and ultimately undermine the very efficiency the government claims to seek.

Why This Matters for Wellesley Township and Waterloo Region

The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) covers the Grand River watershed, which is the largest in southern Ontario. This watershed includes all land drained by the Grand River and its tributaries, covering an area of approximately 6,800 square kilometers. The GRCA manages this watershed for the benefit of 38 municipalities and nearly one million residents. The watershed is home to various natural resources and communities, including urban areas like Kitchener, Waterloo, and Guelph, numerous rural townships including our local Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich, North Dumfries townships, as well as First Nations territories.

The GRCA:

Collaborates with municipalities to address resource management issues, including flood control and water quality.

Ensures accountability and transparency, governing through a board of directors appointed by participating municipalities,

Participates in the Clean Water Act as a source protection authority, contributing to drinking water source protection.

Operates under the Conservation Authorities Act, to enhance the conservation, restoration, and management of natural resources within the watershed.

Our local rural township relies on the GRCA to:

- safeguard drinking water wells and groundwater sources

- protect the natural resources within and surrounding Nith River and its tributaries

- manage flood risks in a changing climate

- ensure development does not threaten public safety or ecological health

Bill 68 threatens these protections by removing local decision‑making and weakening the very systems designed to keep rural communities safe.

I urge you to oppose Bill 68 and to advocate for meaningful consultation with municipalities, conservation authorities, and the public. Ontario needs strong, locally informed watershed management—not centralized control that prioritizes development over community safety and environmental stewardship.