Whereas the Ontario Government proposes amendments to the Conservation Authorities Act and Planning Act in Schedule 6 of the Provincial Budget Bill 229, Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act (Budget Measures), 2020;
Whereas the Municipality of West Grey relies on the expertise of Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority to make science-based decisions to protect residents, property, and natural resources by regulating development under the Conservation Authorities Act and engaging in reviews of applications under the Planning Act;
Whereas Bill 229 provides the Minister of Natural Resources & Forestry with new powers to make decisions on permit appeals and issue permits without consideration of the conservation authorities’ policies, watershed data, and technical expertise, thereby also reducing transparency and consistency;
Whereas Bill 229 could remove and/or significantly hinder conservation authorities’ ability to lodge appeals and participate in LPAT hearings;
Whereas Bill 229 removes the power of conservation authorities to issue stop orders for activities that contravene the Conservation Authorities Act;
Whereas Bill 229 will allow the Minister of Natural Resources & Forestry to establish standards and requirements for non-mandatory conservation authority programs thereby undermining local Boards and Councils’ ability to determine the programs that are most beneficial to their communities;
Whereas conservation authorities and municipalities require a longer transition time to develop new agreements and budgets for non-mandatory programs;
Whereas Bill 229 requires that board members shall generally act on behalf of their respective municipalities thereby contradicting the current fiduciary duty of conservation authority board members to represent the best interests of the conservation authority and its responsibility to the watershed as a whole;
Whereas municipalities value and rely on the natural habitats and water resources within conservation authority jurisdictions for the health and well-being of residents; municipalities value conservation authorities’ work to prevent and manage the impacts of flooding and other natural hazards; and municipalities value conservation authorities’ work to ensure safe drinking water;
Therefore be it resolved;
That the Province of Ontario work with conservation authorities to address their concerns by repealing and/or amending changes to the Conservation Authorities Act and the Planning Act set out in Bill 229 schedule 6; and
That the Province of Ontario provide a longer transition period for non-mandatory programs to enable coordination of conservation authority municipal budget processes; and
That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to:
Premier Ford
Minister Philips, Minister of Finance
Minister Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry
Minister Yurek, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
MPP Bill Walker, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound
MPP Ian Arthur, NDP Environment Critic
MP Alex Ruff
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
MP Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Grey County Council
Ontario municipalities
Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Conservation Ontario
Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority
Grey Sauble Conservation Authority