Steward’s comments on issues

RESPONSES TO VARIOUS PROVINCIAL and MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS

PROPOSAL FOR THE RENEWAL OF PERMIT TO DRAW BULK WATER FROM LAKE SCUGOG, ERO posting 025-1257    ERO water permit response

PROPOSAL FOR THE CONSOLIDATION OF CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES

The following is a link to the Ontario Conservative Governments’ original proposal regarding the consolidation of 36 Conservation Authorities into 7 much larger authorities. Scugog would be part of the Eastern Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority (as seen to the left) which would stretch our western borders all the way to the Quinte Region … a very diverse region including 48 municipalities, 7 current CA’s, and 16,100 sq. km.  https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/025-1257

This was  the Scugog Lake Stewards’  submission regarding this proposal:

Our recommendation is that the province should put a pause on consideration to consolidation of Conservation Authorities.  Instead, it should focus on the establishment of a central agency oversight model (as discussed) with immediate focus on addressing the noted issues of inconsistencies and fragmentation in program delivery and policy.  ERO-submission-on-CA-regionalization-Final-(1)-PDF

Second submission as part of an important coalition of others:The Scugog Lake Stewards are very proud to have had our President, Rob Messervey (Retired CAO Kawartha Region CA, Former GM Lower Trent Region CA, Former Manager of the Provincial Conservation Authorities Program of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) be one of 8 developers of a well considered response to the Provincial Government’s proposal eventually signed by 74 largely ex CAO’s and former provincial staff involved with CA’s.

The general consensus of these individuals, gleaned not only from each other but from discussions with current CAO’s, was that a purely negative response would be unhelpful.  Better would be to make positive suggestions to make the proposal actually help but mainly to have the government step back and pause to discuss how to achieve the best outcome.  This document is well worth the read.  20251221_Joint Ltr_Premier_Ministers_Review of Proposed Amalgamation of CAs_Final (2)

Now the Provincial Government has increased the number of Consolidated CA’s to 9.  Adding two new regions.