This proposed idea is a…

This proposed idea is a terrible idea and completely unnecessary. Conservation Authorities provide efficient and valuable service as is and only stand to suffer from this change, as do all residents of Ontario. Perhaps some of the smaller more remote conservation authorities could use more funding, otherwise they function excellently across the board and provide a service that would only be diminished by these proposed changes. Amalgamation often leads to increased costs and reduced efficiencies, see City of Hamilton for example. What makes this government think this case would be any different? These proposed changes also stand to remove valuable local input and expertise from decision making. This concerns me environmentally and democratically. Power need not be further consolidated away from local communities - and also have the people receive poorer, costlier services in return. Numerous issues regarding flooding, water tables, or other environmental disasters that would have otherwise been prevented by the current set up will happen under these proposed changes and your government will have to answer as to why. If this government wants to make building permits easier to approve in environmentally sensitive areas (one can only assume so based on their actions so far) then go ahead and make the permitting process under a provincial umbrella for all conservation authorities and leave the current set up as is for everything else. This is a horrible idea and will ruin conservation authorities, and the services that the people of Ontario receive from them which is the entire population of the province, as water is rather important.