GRCA board members voice concern over proposed changes to conservation authorities

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Members of the Grand River Conservation Authority’s board of directors are raising the alarm over the province’s proposal to consolidate conservation authorities and centralize their governance.

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“It really takes away from local control and input. It’s a big issue,” said Doug Craig, who represents the Region of Waterloo. “They’re consolidating everything out of Queen’s Park. They’re talking about getting rid of school board trustees, as an example. They interfere locally with speed cameras, bike lanes, all of that stuff.

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“And so, what we have is an overall umbrella that’s shrinking, and we’re finding ourselves being controlled out of the Premier’s office. I have a lot of concerns about where this is heading for the (GRCA).”

Craig made his comments Wednesday morning during a live stream of a special meeting of the GRCA board of directors to discuss strategy ahead of the proposed new legislation that would see the creation of the Ontario Provincial Conservation Authority. Under the legislation, the existing 36 conservation authorities across the province would be consolidated into as few as seven regional authorities with centralized governance by the OPCA.

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“Conservation authorities play a vital role in protecting our communities and managing our watersheds, but the system has become too fragmented, inconsistent, and outdated,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, said last week. “The new, dedicated agency would work with conservation leaders to ensure faster, more transparent permitting and more front-line services so we can reduce delays and get shovels in the ground sooner, support economic growth and keep our communities safe from floods and other natural hazards.”

Samantha Lawson, CAO of the GRCA, provided an overview of the announcement for board members, adding that the boundaries of the consolidated regions have yet to be released.

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“The OPCA is intended to provide a framework to centralize leadership, make the governance of all of the conservation authorities more efficient, provide strategic direction, and also to help with some of the modernizations that the Minister announced,” explained the CAO. “The challenge is really going to be making sure that we still have captured accurately and engaged the local watershed communities and as well as municipalities to ensure that the programs that are delivered within that watershed are tailored to the needs and interests of that particular watershed.”

In a statement released late Tuesday, GRCA board chair John Chalinor II stated that the provincial government recognizes the critical role CAs play in protecting people from floods and natural hazards, managing watersheds, and providing public access to natural spaces.

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“These responsibilities remain at the core of the GRCA’s mission,” he said. “We are committed to being part of the solution that balances effective and efficient watershed management with Ontario’s housing goals and continuing to serve the Grand River watershed and its residents.”

An ad hoc committee comprised of six GRCA board members was struck that, once the legislation is posted, will review and respond from a perspective that is “constructive, fulsome, insightful, and in the best interests of interest holders,” Chalinor said, adding that he encourages board members to submit their concerns to the committee.

Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis said the board can provide input in terms of opposing what has been proposed, but feels the provincial government seems determined to move forward with the proposal.

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“(Our) strategy should be making sure one of the seven (consolidated regions) is based on the GRCA, and the GRCA extending its tentacles further abroad than what it currently encompasses,” Davis said.

There are 38 municipalities within the Grand River watershed — stretching from the Dufferin Highlands near Dundalk and flowing 310 kilometres south to Lake Erie – with a 26-member board representing 22 member municipalities.

McCarthy said the OPCA will develop a single platform for permits, set province-wide standards, and oversee the consolidation following consultation in the spring of 2026. Existing board members would continue to serve until after the province changes governance structures following next October’s municipal elections.

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McCarthy also said the consolidation will not lead to job losses, but some senior management roles will be redeployed to front-line positions.

Board member James Sweeney, representing the Town of Erin and Townships of Guelph, Eramosa, and Puslinch, said the ad hoc committee needs to ensure that GRCA staff are kept whole.

“If they come in and try to send our CAOs and deputy CAOs to attend gates to take money from people and say that’s a redeployment to the front line, that’s constructive dismissal,” he observed.

Haldimand Norfolk board member Dan Lawrence said while there is a need for change, what has been proposed so far is “too drastic, too much.”

“The GRCA is, I think, one of the crown jewels of the CAs. We’ve been operating for decades, done a great job, and we have a very large watershed we look after,” Lawrence said. “This is a chess game. One of the things that’s most unique about us is that we have a land claim versus us. Six Nations – the Haudenosaunee – claim six miles on either side of the Grand from mouth to source. So, we should be involving them if they’re not already.”

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In the meantime, it will be business as usual for conservation authorities across the province, including the Long Point Region Conservation Area whose scope includes Tillsonburg, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk counties, the Municipality of Bayham, and the townships of Norwich, South-West Oxford and Malahide.

Covering 2,782-square-kilometres and owning about 4,450 hectares of land, the Long Point Region watershed is drained by more than 30 creeks and tributaries and spans 225 kilometres of Lake Erie shoreline.

“The LPRCA has long-developed relationships with the watershed residents,” said Jessica King, marketing and social media associate for LPRCA. “These relationships are critical and need to stay relevant in the upcoming changes. Local representation and staff need to be considered in the new structure.”

bethompson@postmedia.com
-with files from Jack Moulton, London Free Press

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