The Future of Conservation Authorities: Keeping Above Water?

Conservation Authorities work with Ontario farmers and other landowners to assist in conservation work like tree planting, erosion control, water quality improvement and soil health. Conservation authorities undertake many other activities to fulfill their watershed management mandate. The Ontario government’s Bill 108 amended the Conservation Authorities Act as well as many other statutes for the stated purpose of “increasing housing supply”. Then in August 2019 the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks sent a letter to all conservation authorities telling them to “wind down” programs not within the “core mandate” of conservation authorities. Farm and conservation organizations are concerned that important stewardship programs of conservation authorities are not lost to farmers and landowners. Paul Smith discusses these issues with Kim Gavine, General Manager of Conservation Ontario and Joanne Rzadki, Business Development & Partnerships Coordinator also of Conservation Ontario. More information is available at: https://conservationontario.ca/ https://voiceofniagara.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/yurek_letter.jpg https://conservationontario.ca/fileadmin/pdf/latest-news/Media_Release_CO_Media_Release_Response_to_Provincial_Letter_Aug_2019.pdf https://www.ontario.ca/page/more-homes-more-choice-ontarios-housing-supply-action-plan https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-108 https://environmentaldefence.ca/2019/05/31/analysis-shows-that-ontarios-bill-108-gives-the-development-industry-most-of-what-it-asked-for/