Ontario’s Conservation Authorities (CAs) are among the province’s most effective climate-adaptation institutions. They provide flood mitigation, natural infrastructure management, watershed monitoring, and ecological restoration that save lives and reduce long-term public costs. Weakening these institutions in the name of administrative efficiency contradicts Ontario’s own climate resilience objectives and exposes municipalities, taxpayers, and future generations to greater risk.
Ontario does not have a CA problem; it has a climate risk problem. CAs are part of the solution. Consolidating them into mega-regions will weaken Ontario’s first line of defence against flooding, erosion, and water contamination, and will increase—not reduce—long-term public risk and cost.
ORA also signed onto a Joint submission by Ontario Nature, along with 93 others, which you can find here.