December 17, 2025 Ministry…

December 17, 2025

Ministry of Environment, Parks and Conservation
College Park
777 Bay St, 5th Floor,
Toronto, ON M7A 2J3

Re: Proposed Boundaries for the Regional Consolidation of Ontario’s Conservation Authorities
ERO Posting: #025-1257

The City of Mississauga has reviewed the proposed legislative changes shared through the above listed registry posting and would like to provide the following comments and suggestions for your consideration:

Maintaining Conservation Authorities (CA) mandates: The City is supportive of keeping the CA’s mandate of protecting people and property from the risks of flooding and other natural hazards, delivering provincially mandated programs, providing flood forecasting and warning services, and managing their lands and recreational trails. We are also supportive of efforts that continue to make CAs more efficient with consistent policies and a standardized and centralized system for processing applications for permits issued by authorities.

Preserving local decision-making: At present, each Conservation Authority (CA) operates with its own Board of Directors, whose members are appointed by local municipalities. These boards, which mainly consist of elected municipal officials, can set priority objectives that match the needs of their communities. If a Regional Conservation Authority were established to cover an extended area from the Region of Peel to Niagara Falls (e.g., Western Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority), there is a risk that local representation and accountability could be diminished.

Preserving Local Expertise: The City of Mississauga benefits primarily from services and program delivery of Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) and the Toronto & Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and, to a lesser extent, Conservation Halton (given its geographic boundary). These CAs have deep knowledge of the city’s watersheds and their unique characteristics. The CAs also manage and maintain important conservation areas in the city (e.g., Rattray Marsh, Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area). The CA’s local expertise and knowledge will continue to be needed.

Service Impacts: There is currently a dedicated team at a watershed level that has local expertise and knowledge to respond quickly to City requests (e.g., in regard to housing projects and Special Policy Areas in flood prone areas). Staff want to ensure that local teams with the same levels of service are maintained, acknowledging the strong working relationships that have been developed. In addition, CAs deliver a number of important services and programs that are funded through municipal levies or self-generated revenues. Mississauga recommends that this expertise remain in place moving forward.

Costs and Efficiencies: Mississauga is concerned that the consolidation of Conservation Authorities does not result in increased costs or reduced efficiencies. The new Agency is anticipated to receive its primary funding from municipal levies (taxes), self-generated revenues such as fees and donations, and selected federal or provincial project allocations. Currently, the Province has not released the financial costs associated with the transition, including renaming/rebranding to regional CAs, and for the creation and operations of the new Agency. Additionally, as multiple Conservation Authorities are amalgamated, staff require clarity on how funding allocations will be determined.

The extent to which municipalities may experience increased costs—due to supporting both Conservation Authorities and the Provincial-led Agency—remains indeterminate. Given that the City of Mississauga is poised to be the largest municipal tax contributor to the proposed Western Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority, there is a possibility that Mississauga taxpayers could shoulder a disproportionate share of this financial obligation.

The Province, not municipalities, should bear the costs and responsibility of creating a new Agency and amalgamation.

The City of Mississauga requests to be included in public consultations, as it can contribute significant insights and supplementary information regarding governance, local representation, and cost efficiencies referenced in the ERO posting.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 647-459-0624 or via email at dianne.zimmerman@mississauga.ca.

Sincerely,

Dianne Zimmerman
Manager, Environment, Parks, Forestry and Environment Department, City of Mississauga