Conservation authorities are speaking out about new provincial legislation that will consolidate the bodies into vast regional organizations and may result in rural municipalities losing their voice.

Through Bill 68, tabled in November, Ontario is proposing to redraw the boundaries of the 36 existing conservation authorities in the province and create seven new conservation authorities, most with much larger footprints, that continue to align with watershed boundaries.

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Meanwhile, provincial legislation has already amended the Conservation Authorities Act to create the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency – a provincially board-governed agency – to “provide centralized leadership, efficient governance, strategic direction, and oversight of Ontario’s conservation auth

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