I have serious concerns…

I have serious concerns about the government’s proposal to merge Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities into seven regional bodies. This would weaken local watershed management, reduce accountability to communities, and undermine flood protection.

Conservation authorities are designed around local watersheds, reflecting the fact that water and ecosystems do not follow municipal boundaries. Their effectiveness depends on detailed local knowledge used to protect drinking water, manage flood risks, restore habitats, and guide development away from natural hazards.

Flooding is Ontario’s most significant natural hazard and the costliest natural disaster in Canada (“Protecting People and Property: Ontario’s Flooding Strategy,” 2020).

Amalgamation would force authorities to manage much larger and more complex watersheds, making it harder to address flooding, erosion, and water quality issues where they occur. It would also weaken local decision-making and responsiveness, while increasing bureaucratic complexity.

Claims that amalgamation would speed development approvals are unsupported. Conservation authorities are not barriers to development; they prevent costly and dangerous mistakes by identifying floodplains and other hazards. Diluting this role risks increased flooding, habitat loss, and degraded water quality, particularly under climate change.

I urge the government to withdraw this proposal and instead work with conservation authorities to improve efficiency and service delivery without undermining environmental protection or public safety.