**Subject:** Oppose…

**Subject:** Oppose Amalgamation – Senior Conservation Area User

I am a senior who regularly hikes in the Grand River Conservation Area. I strongly oppose the proposal to amalgamate Ontario’s conservation authorities, as I believe it will negatively affect the care, safety, and local management of the natural areas I rely on.

**Key Points:**

* Local conservation authorities understand the specific trails, river conditions, wildlife, and seasonal flooding risks in the Grand River watershed. This local knowledge is essential for safe and accessible use by seniors.
* Larger regional authorities risk prioritizing broad administrative efficiency over the day-to-day care of individual conservation areas and trails.
* Seniors depend on well-maintained trails, clear signage, and timely local responses to changing conditions, which are best delivered by local staff who know the area.
* Conservation areas are largely funded by local municipalities and supported by the people who use them. Increased provincial involvement adds bureaucracy without improving on-the-ground outcomes.
* With less than 10% of southern Ontario’s original forest cover remaining, protecting and properly maintaining local natural areas is more important than ever.

The government should abandon this proposal and keep conservation authorities locally managed and accountable, so conservation areas like the Grand River continue to be protected, accessible, and safely maintained for current and future generations.