The Friends of the Tay…

The Friends of the Tay Watershed Association wish to submit the attached comments on the proposal to consolidate Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities into seven regional conservation authorities (CAs) and on elements of Bill 68 that would place the authorities’ governance under a board-governed agency.

The association has significant concerns with the extensive amendments proposed for the governance and management structure of the provincial Conservation Authorities. Specifically, this is for the potential impact and damage to the operation of a system that presently meets the needs of the community and for our area’s environment, water and water-related resources. The local Conservation Authorities have demonstrated that they provide cost effective consistent management of the water resources with the existing structure.

The association requests that the Government of Ontario:
- Not proceed with the proposed amalgamation of the 36 conservation authorities into seven regional units,
- Cancel the establishment of the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency, provided for in Bill 68,
- Respect the principles of the Conservation Authorities Act (1946) which places the mandate for governing, funding and oversight of conservation authorities with municipalities at the local level.