Province moving forward with Conservation Authority mergers
Posted March10, 2026
The provincial government announced this morning revised boundaries for the pending amalgamation of 36 Conservation Authorities into nine, adjusted following a 45-day commenting period in November - December.
Ontario’s current system of independent conservation authorities with varying policies, processes and capacity, "has created uncertainty and delays for builders, landowners and farmers, and has made it more challenging for conservation authorities to carry out their role in protecting communities from floods and natural hazards," according to the press release.
Last year, the government created the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency (OPCA) to oversee the transition process and its 2027 timeline for the mergers to be in place.
The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority, which includes New Tecumseth, Adjala-Tosorontio, and Essa Township, will be folded into a the Huron-Superior Regional Conservation Area, including the Owen Sound region to the north and west along the western shoreline of Lake Huron down to Lambton Shores to the south. It also includes the Lake Simcoe CA.
Maria Leung, NVCA Senior Communications Specialist, told Free Press Online they are relieved the Province altered the original proposed boundary that would have included the NVCA into northern Ontario.
"Our concern has been with the scale and structure of the previously proposed "Huron-Superior" model, which would have merged watersheds stretching from Thunder Bay through the Lake Huron region and into fast-growing regions of the northern GTA," said Leung. "The revised map moves away from our largest concern by keeping Thunder Bay separate from our region, which we believe better reflects the distinct geographic realities of Ontario's watersheds."
She said the NVCA Board supports "the Province's objectives of improving efficiency, modernizing service delivery and ensuring conservation authorities continue to deliver value for municipalities and residents. We have been hard at work these past few years doing exactly that."
The proposed changes will also mean the end of New Tecumseth's and lower tier municipalites from direct say into the new regional structure. Currently each municipality in the watershed sends its own representatives to sit on the Board of directors.
"To ensure local knowledge and input continue to guide watershed management, the province would require regional conservation authorities to create one or more local watershed councils that help identify local priorities for watershed-based conservation programs and services. Regional conservation authorities would remain municipally governed, with regional municipalities, counties and cities appointing members to conservation authorities. Lower-tier municipalities in counties, such as towns and townships, will no longer be participating municipalities of a conservation authority under this approach."
The OPCA will be receive $3 million to help with the transition to manage flooding and other natural hazards, drinking water source protection, permitting and the management of their lands and recreational trails.
As to its eventual impact on the current NVCA operations, potential layoffs of staff and loss of planning input, Leung said, "we will review the proposal carefully with our municipal partners and look forward to continuing to work constructively with the Province to ensure that any changes preserve strong municipal governance, local expertise and effective watershed management."
