I strongly oppose the…

I strongly oppose the proposed mergers of conservation authorities. The existence of many separate conservation authorities allows the specialization that is so crucial to good conservation of the manifold habitats that dot Ontario.

If conservation authorities are merged, it is likely that those who are tasked with determining conservation needs and sensitivity across the lands they are responsible for will find themselves disjointed and unable to do a thorough job. As the areas that they are responsible for grow, so will their disconnect from the places and people in these areas as the people working for conservation authorities are assigned to work across greater space. It is reasonable to expect that the proposed merged conservation authorities will be stretched thin.

It is unlikely that the provincial government's proposal will free up resources much. Instead, I believe that these measures will further weaken conservation across the province.