Proposed boundaries for the regional consolidation of Ontario’s conservation authorities

Background

Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities play a vital role in watershed management and protecting communities from natural hazards like floods. Conservation authorities deliver programs and services that further the conservation, restoration, and management of natural resources. The Conservation Authorities Act also establishes areas where a permit must be obtained from a conservation authority before a person engages in a development activity in certain circumstances or interference with a watercourse. Conservation authorities review permit applications and issue permits to builders, municipalities and property owners for development activities such as housing developments, installation of sewage systems in areas affected by risks of natural hazards such as floodplains, shorelines, river and stream valleys, and wetlands. Permitting administered by conservation authorities helps to ensure that development does not happen in unsafe areas and that it does not worsen the impacts of flooding or erosion in surrounding areas.  

The current system of 36 separate conservation authorities is fragmented, with each conservation authority following different policies, standards, fees and levels of staffing and technical capabilities. This has led to unpredictable and inconsistent turnaround times for approvals across all conservation authorities, creating uncertainty and delays for builders, landowners and farmers seeking permits, and undermining conservation authorities’ ability to protect communities from floods and natural hazards. 

Improving Conservation Authorities

On October 31, 2025, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks announced the Government’s intention to introduce legislation which, if passed, would amend the Conservation Authorities Act to create the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency – a provincial board-governed agency – to provide centralized leadership, efficient governance, strategic direction, and oversight of Ontario’s conservation authorities. 

Another key action announced by the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and the Chief Conservation Executive is the plan to consolidate the province’s 36 conservation authorities into regional conservation authorities that continue to align with watershed boundaries.  

These proposed improvements to the conservation authority system would reduce duplicative administrative costs, free-up resources for frontline conservation, and better align conservation authorities’ services with provincial priorities on housing, the economy, infrastructure and climate resilience. 

The regional conservation authorities would continue to focus on managing natural hazards and watershed health, drawing on decades of local knowledge and partnerships. With better tools and more resources for front-line staff, the regional conservation authorities would operate with greater consistency and transparency, deliver faster services to municipalities and permit applicants, while ensuring decisions continue to be based on sound science. 

Proposal for Regional Consolidation 

We are seeking feedback on the proposed boundaries and the criteria applied to inform the proposed boundaries for the regional consolidation of Ontario’s conservation authorities. This feedback will help inform the development of further proposed changes to the Conservation Authorities Act that may be introduced at a later date.  

Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities would be consolidated into the following 7 regional conservation authorities. Please see the attached supporting document for maps of the proposed boundaries and additional information on the consolidated regional conservation authorities, and visit the interactive map featuring maps of the seven proposed regional conservation authority boundaries. You can type an address into the search bar to see which regional conservation authority to which it belongs.

• Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority – covers southwestern Ontario watersheds draining into Lake Erie, including the Thames, Grand, and Sydenham systems, supporting agriculture, industry, and shoreline communities. Primarily based on the Northern Lake Erie Secondary Watershed
• Huron-Superior Regional Conservation Authority – includes watersheds along Lake Huron’s northern shore and the Lake Superior basin, supporting conservation and flood management across vast northern watersheds. Primarily based on the Eastern Lake Huron and southern portion of Eastern Georgian Bay Secondary Watershed and in the north the central portion of Northwestern Lake Superior Secondary Watershed.
• Western Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority – extends along the western Lake Ontario shoreline from Niagara through Halton and Peel, encompassing urban and rural watersheds that support the Greater Toronto–Hamilton corridor. Primarily based on the western portion of the Northern Lake Ontario and Niagara River Secondary Watershed.
• Central Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority – covers the watersheds from north of Toronto, including parts of York Region, west through Peel Region, east through Durham, and into parts of the Kawarthas, balancing urban growth and agricultural lands while protecting key tributaries to Lake Ontario. Primarily based on the central portion of the Northern Lake Ontario and Niagara River Secondary Watershed.
• Eastern Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority – Includes watersheds draining to eastern Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte, including the Trent and Cataraqui systems, supporting a mix of agricultural, urban, and coastal communities. Primarily based on the eastern portion of the Northern Lake Ontario and Niagara River Secondary Watershed.
• St. Lawrence Regional Conservation Authority – Encompasses watersheds flowing into the St. Lawrence River, including the Raisin and South Nation areas, coordinating flood and water management across eastern Ontario. Primarily based on the Upper St. Lawrence, Lower Ottawa River, and southern portion of the Central Ottawa River Secondary Watersheds.
• Northeastern Ontario Regional Conservation Authority – Brings together the conservation authorities in the northeast, maintaining coordination across large watershed areas and shared northern infrastructure and ecosystems. Its work focuses on maintaining healthy waterways, protecting natural habitats, and promoting sustainable land and water use across major watershed areas that span parts of Northern Lake Huron, the Abitibi, Missinaibi, Mattagami, Wanipitai, French, and Upper Ottawa River systems.

No changes would be proposed to the overall extent of conservation authority jurisdiction within the province, and under consolidation the new regional conservation authorities would remain independent organizations operating with municipal governance and oversight, in accordance with requirements under the Conservation Authorities Act, as administered by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.   

In addition, the important work that conservation authorities do to protect people and property from the risks of flooding and other natural hazards will not change. The regional conservation authorities would continue to fulfill provincially mandated programs such as drinking water source protection under the Clean Water Act, regulating, development and other activities in areas at risk of natural hazards like flooding and erosion (e.g. floodplains, shorelines, watercourse and wetlands), flood forecasting and warning, and managing their lands and recreational trails so that Ontarians have access to local natural areas and outdoor activities. 

Regional conservation authorities would continue to provide municipal and other watershed programs and services set out under the Conservation Authorities Act, such as tree planting, data collection, restoration and other integrated watershed management activities that enhance the resilience of local watersheds and educate and engage local communities. 

The criteria applied for determining the proposed boundaries for regional conservation authorities are: 

• Maintaining watershed-based jurisdictions – Aligning with natural hydrological boundaries to support effective flood and water management, consistent with drinking water Source Protection Areas and Regions.
• Relationships between conservation authorities and municipalities – Reducing administrative duplication and overlap for municipalities and conservation authorities to simplify accountability and strengthen local partnerships.
• Balancing expertise and capacity across conservation authorities – Enhancing technical skills and resources across conservation authorities to improve service and program delivery.
• Service Continuity – Ensuring uninterrupted delivery of local conservation authority programs – including flood forecasting and warning, permitting, and source water protection – through and after consolidation.

Providing feedback and discussion questions

We welcome your feedback in response to the proposed boundaries and criteria applied to inform the boundaries for the regional consolidation of Ontario’s conservation authorities. Comments may be submitted through this posting or by email to ca.office@ontario.ca.  

We welcome your feedback to the following discussion questions which are especially relevant to the planning for the future state:

• What do you see as key factors to support a successful transition and outcome of regional conservation authority consolidation?
• What opportunities or benefits may come from a regional conservation authority framework?
• Do you have suggestions for how governance could be structured at the regional conservation authority level, including suggestions around board size, make-up and the municipal representative appointment process?
• Do you have suggestions on how to maintain a transparent and consultative budgeting process across member municipalities within a regional conservation authority?
• How can regional conservation authorities maintain and strengthen relationships with local communities and stakeholders?

Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities would be consolidated into the following 7 regional conservation authorities. Please see the attached supporting document for maps of the proposed boundaries and additional information on the consolidated regional conservation authorities, and visit the interactive map featuring maps of the seven proposed regional conservation authority boundaries. You can type an address into the search bar to see which regional conservation authority to which it belongs.

All feedback provided on this policy proposal notice will help to inform the government’s decision-making for the boundaries of the regional conservation authorities, and any legislative and regulatory changes under the Conservation Authorities Act that may be developed for introduction at a later date to enable consolidation. The public, municipalities, other stakeholders, and Indigenous communities will be consulted further on the details of any future legislative or regulatory changes.  

The implementation of the regional consolidation of conservation authorities would be overseen by the provincial board-governed agency that would be created by the first phase of proposed changes to the Conservation Authorities Act, if such changes are introduced and passed. This oversight role would include coordinating the transition process with conservation authority, municipal and stakeholder involvement to ensure minimal disruptions for conservation authority staff, stakeholders, member municipalities, and partners including Indigenous communities. The Ministry will provide further details on timelines, engagement opportunities, and transition supports at a future date.