By: Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
In response to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) announcing its intent to combine conservation authorities in the province, from 36 to seven regional entities, under Bill 68, Plan to Protect Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2025, Essex Council will invite Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) CAO Tim Byrne and other staffers to speak on the matter at a meeting in December.
Council supported the motion at the November 17 meeting, which Councillor Jason Matyi presented under New Business. He is Essex’s representative on the ERCA Board.
He noted the territory the Essex region would be combined with would include up to the north of Guelph.
“While our Conservation Authority is not necessarily against the idea of modernization, they really don’t feel this is going to best fit us,” he explained to Council. “Neither do I.”
There is a very short period where feedback on the matter can be provided back to the MECP. The best way to do that is to ensure all were equally prepared to do so, he added.
ERCA will be asked to speak about potential impacts to the region; anticipated changes to permitting timelines, governance, and service delivery; local watershed concerns; and opportunities for municipal collaboration.
Councillor Rodney Hammond had concerns with the plan, with the Essex region being a peninsula and having drainage issues. He was open to inviting ERCA to talk to the matter, and then sending a letter to the province with disapproval for the plan.
Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley would like to understand the Premier’s reasoning behind it before sending a letter to the Province. He appreciated the opportunity to learn more.
Mayor Sherry Bondy said she’s glad there is a public consultation period. She believes the municipality is experiencing a lack of public consultation and listening to concerns from the Premier. She also had concerns with the area being a peninsula, and for the John R. Park Homestead and Holiday Beach that may not fall under ERCA’s responsibility moving forward.
ERCA’s Board of Directors has formally voiced it has significant concerns with the proposed merged Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority on how these changes could impact local accountability and service delivery, and how the Essex region faces unique watershed challenges.
At the December 1 Essex Council meeting, Matyi will ask Council to direct administration to prepare and send a letter to ERCA to express Essex’s support for the ERCA Board of Directors’ position regarding the proposed conservation authority consolidation. If passed, the letter will be circulated to ERCA’s member municipalities for their information.
Matyi will also ask Council to consider submitting the Town’s comments to the Province’s consultation portal by December 22.
The matter was also discussed at the County of Essex Council meeting November 19, where its decision-makers voted to have County Warden, and Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald, send a letter on behalf of the County of Essex, expressing concerns with Bill 68, after the seven local municipalities have drafted their own.
Essex Mayor Bondy brought up the matter under New Business, and made the motion.
Bondy wanted to know if Bill 68 will impact the County at all – as the approval authority for planning matters – and questioned if the County should prepare a submission to the feedback portal if there was potential that it would.
CAO Sandra Zwiers said County administration is aware of the Bill. She has been in conversation with ERCA. Its board is submitting a response to the Province on the matter. ERCA deals with the seven local municipalities, so from a jurisdictional perspective, she wanted to ensure the locals have the opportunity to respond on their own behalf, which is why the County has taken a side-step approach to this matter. If the Bill will impact the County – such as downloading or cause any more hardships on staff – Bondy believes it would be prudent for the County to take a position.
Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara believes there will be an impact in terms of representation and also financially.
He believes the region should work with organizations, such as the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (Amo) to prepare, rather than wait until after the fact.
Whether it is Bill 68 or other Bills, “it seems they are removing more and more autonomy away from the municipal sector,” McNamara said, adding the Province seems to be adding more and more responsibilities in certain areas, without providing dollars.
McNamara believes the County should prepare and find out when it will be discussed at Committee to try to see what the impact will be for municipalities. He is hearing fear that these potential changes could impact development and could delay projects further down the road.
In keeping with the Strategic Plan County Council set, Zwiers said there is a willingness for the County to support the local municipalities on a regional basis. County admin is open to conversations about how the County could play a role in the Conservation Authority’s work going forward on behalf of the region.
It was urged that all the local municipalities send a letter, as well.
Deputy Mayor Kim DeYong noted Kingsville sent one that week.
Amherstburg Michael Prue noted his municipality will be discussing the matter at its next meeting. He noted it is a municipal matter. When the local municipalities send their letters, they could be sent to the County. Then the Warden can then indicate to the Province there are seven letters from the local municipalities in agreement with one another.
