糖心直播

UTRCA Board Responds to Bill 68听

For the latest news, go to our webpage on the Proposed Consolidation of Conservation Authorities

On November 7, 2025, the provincial government opened public consultation on an Environmental Registry of Ontario () proposal to consolidate Ontario鈥檚 36 conservation authorities into 7 large regional authorities. Under this proposal, a new鈥�Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority鈥痺ould鈥痓e created by merging eight existing conservation authorities 鈥� Catfish Creek, Essex Region, Grand River, Kettle Creek, Long Point Region, Lower Thames Valley, St. Clair Region, and Upper Thames River. This new regional conservation authority would span a large geographic area from Windsor through London, Brantford, and north of Waterloo region, and include鈥�81 municipalities.听听

The proposed consolidation follows on the heels of changes to the Conservation Authorities Act, including the establishment of a new agency, the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency, to provide leadership, governance, and strategic direction to conservation authorities (CAs). The changes to the Act were part of Bill 68, 鈥淧lan to Protect Ontario Act鈥� which was introduced and passed without any consultation.听听

At its meeting on November 25, the UTRCA Board of Directors received a staff report and presentation entitled 鈥�Provincial Announcements: Bill 68 Schedule 3 Proposed Changes to the Conservation Authorities Act and Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) Posting #025-1257 Proposed Boundaries for Regional Consolidation of Ontario鈥檚 Conservation Authorities.鈥�听

The Board members discussed the potential impacts of the 笔谤辞惫颈苍肠别鈥檚 proposal on the programs and services that the UTRCA provides to their municipal residents. A key concern they identified is the importance of maintaining local Board representation that balances rural and urban priorities and interests.听

The UTRCA Board of Directions passed the following motion:

THAT the Board of Directors adopt the proposed motion, as circulated to the board at the start of the meeting, and direct staff to circulate a letter to all member municipalities of the Upper Thames watershed and First Nation communities affected by the proposed change in geographic boundaries, with a focus on the economic and legal ramifications and other relevant ramifications of the proposed legislative changes by the province.

And this was the proposed motion that was adopted:

WHEREAS the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has posted Environmental Registry Notice No. 025-1257 (鈥淧roposed Boundaries for the Regional Consolidation of Conservation Authorities鈥�), proposing to reduce Ontario鈥檚 36 conservation authorities to 7 regional entities as part of a broader restructuring that would create a new Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency to provide centralized oversight and direction under the Conservation Authorities Act;听鈥�

AND WHEREAS under this proposal, the 糖心直播 (UTRCA) would be merged into a new 鈥淟ake Erie Regional Conservation Authority鈥� together with the: Essex Region CA, Lower Thames Valley CA, St. Clair Region CA, Kettle Creek CA, Catfish Creek CA, Long Point Region CA, and Grand River CA, forming a single organization stretching from Windsor, through London, Brantford, and north of Waterloo region; 鈥�

AND WHEREAS the Board acknowledges and supports the 笔谤辞惫颈苍肠别鈥檚 goals of improved efficiency, consistency, and fiscal responsibility in conservation delivery, but find that the proposed 鈥淟ake Erie Region鈥� configuration would create a geographically vast and administratively complex entity; dilute local accountability and municipal partnership; generate substantial transition costs, including human resources integration, governance restructuring, IT migration, and policy harmonization that would divert resources from the front-line service delivery making it hard for applicants to obtain timely local advice, resolve issues, or expedite housing and infrastructure approvals that support the 笔谤辞惫颈苍肠别鈥檚 goals;鈥�

AND WHEREAS UTRCA has always worked with its member municipalities, the province, and partners to be fiscally responsible while ensuring the conservation, restoration, development, and management of natural resources within the upper Thames River watershed including modernizing its programs and services and aligning them with provincial guidance and neighbouring CAs and will continue to do so; 鈥�

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT UTRCA Board of Directors does not support the proposed 鈥淟ake Erie Regional Conservation Authority鈥� boundary configuration outlined in the Environment Registry Notice 02-1257; and the Board instead requests that the Ministry engage directly with affected municipalities and conservation authorities to evaluate a reduced geographic scope for consolidation that better reflects established relationships and enhances cost-efficient delivery of integrated watershed management, grassroots connections, and local understanding;听鈥�

AND FINALLY THAT this resolution be forwarded to the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks, local members of Provincial Parliament, Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Rural Ontario Municipalities Association, all municipalities and CAs within the proposed Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority, and Conservation Ontario.

You can view the November 25 Board meeting on the The presentation begins at 16:20 and runs until 51:01. The Board听discussion is immediately following from 51:01–1:35:08.

The UTRCA Board of Directors strongly encourages our watershed municipalities, First Nations, partners, and other interest-holders to carefully evaluate the 笔谤辞惫颈苍肠别鈥檚 proposal to consolidate the CAs. This proposal has serious, long-lasting implications for local watershed management.听

For a summary of our key messages to the Province, visit our Provincial Changes Bill 68 webpage.听听

The proposal is open until December 22nd for public comment here