Conservation Authorities Under Fire

On November 5th, the Government of Ontario revealed its plans to severely curtail the role of Conservation Authorities in watershed planning and management. Schedule 6 of omnibus Budget Bill 229 proposes numerous changes to the Conservation Authorities Act (CAA) that will undermine efforts to conserve biodiversity and build community resilience to climate change.

The Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) has prepared a preliminary analysis of Schedule 6, outlining the proposed changes and their implications. Among the key concerns identified are:

Narrowing of the scope and powers of Conservation Authorities, impeding the achievement of the overall purpose of the CAA, which ...

On November 5th, the Government of Ontario revealed its plans to severely curtail the role of Conservation Authorities in watershed planning and management. Schedule 6 of omnibus Budget Bill 229 proposes numerous changes to the Conservation Authorities Act (CAA) that will undermine efforts to conserve biodiversity and build community resilience to climate change.

The Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) has prepared a preliminary analysis of Schedule 6, outlining the proposed changes and their implications. Among the key concerns identified are:

Narrowing of the scope and powers of Conservation Authorities, impeding the achievement of the overall purpose of the CAA, which is to “provide for the organization and delivery of programs and services that further the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources in watersheds in Ontario;”
Restricting the duties of Conservation Authorities’ members so that they no longer must act to further the watershed-based mandates of the Conservation Authorities, but rather can act only on behalf of the narrower interests of their respective municipalities;
Reducing the ability of Conservation Authorities to act as independent public bodies in land use planning, including removing their ability to seek to appeal municipal planning decisions;
Introducing new rights for developers to force fast-tracking of development approvals and to appeal decisions they do not like, without providing the same opportunity to citizens who may wish to challenge decisions that damage the environment; and
Giving the Minister new power to overturn a conservation authority’s decision to refuse to issue a permit for development.

Alarmingly, the proposed changes were introduced as part of a budget bill, which means that the public’s right to comment under the Environmental Bill of Rights is over-ridden, as explained in the Environmental Registry of Ontario notice (ERO # 019-2646).

Ontario’s Conservation Authorities are a unique and widely respected innovation.

The vital role of our Conservation Authorities in watershed-based land use planning and permitting must be retained to prevent unchecked development that puts communities at risk from flooding and other climate change impacts through loss of wetlands, woodlands and farmland.

Please join Ontario Nature in asking the government to withdraw Schedule 6 in its entirety from Bill 229.

If possible, please try to speak directly with your MPP to ask that Schedule 6 be removed. Use this tool to find their contact information based on your postal code.

Given how quickly Bill 229 is likely to move through the Legislature, we need to act together – quickly and decisively. Please join us for a webinar, jointly presented by CELA, Ontario Nature and Environmental Defence on Tuesday, November 17th at 7 p.m. about these proposed changes and how we can fight back.

Photo: Endangered redside dace © Jon Clayton

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Retain the Current Mandate of the Province’s 36 Conservation Authorities

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Send an email to:

Minister Philips, Minister of Finance, [email protected],
Minister Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, [email protected]
Minister Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, [email protected]
Minister Yurek, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, [email protected]
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Subject:

Dear Minister Phillips,

cc: Minister Clark, Minister Yakabuski and Minister Yurek

I strongly oppose the proposed changes to the Conservation Authorities Act set out in Schedule 6 of Bill 229 that curtail the role of Conservation Authorities in watershed planning and management. I am also deeply concerned that these proposed changes were brought forward in a budget bill, thereby over-riding my right to comment under the Environmental Bill of Rights. I request that you remove Schedule 6 in its entirety from Bill 229.

Ontario’s Conservation Authorities are a unique and widely respected innovation. They provide a much-valued bridge across municipal boundaries to understand and address environmental concerns, such as flooding. Because they operate at the watershed level, they are ideally positioned to encourage science-based collaborative strategies and decision-making. Their vital role in land use planning and permitting must be retained to ensure that development does not put communities at risk from flooding and other climate change impacts through loss of wetlands, woodlands and farmland.

The changes proposed in Schedule 6 will reduce or constrain the mandate of Conservation Authorities, and are therefore contradictory to the interests of the people of Ontario who are facing enormous risks and costs as a result of climate change and ongoing biodiversity loss. The roles and responsibilities of Conservation Authorities are critical in protecting the lands, waters and wildlife which benefit businesses and communities across Ontario, and upon which our health and well-being ultimately depend.

I urge you to remove Schedule 6 in its entirety from Bill 229.

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