Throughout 2020 GBA has been supporting the efforts by a large group of NGOs to preserve the functions of Ontario’s Conservation Authorities (CAs), for instance signing on to this letter in April: Support for Ontario’s Conservation Authorities – Letter to Premier Ford
In December 2020 the Ford government ignored the advice of experts warning that retaining the current expertise and knowledge base within CAs is vital for protecting water quality, preventing flooding and numerous general environmental protections. Instead they snuck a major bill to gut the CAs into the budget Bill 229 in order to eliminate proper public consultation on these major changes. For more information see:
- CELA Open Letter to MPPs – Dec 2020
- AMO Submission to Standing Committee re Schedule 6 in Bill 229 – Nov 30 2020
- Backgrounder – Amendments to Section 6 of Bill 229 regarding Conservation Authorities
- Environmental Defence press release – Dec 4 2020
- Everything You Need to Know About Ford’s Changes to Conservation and Planning – Globe & Mail Dec 10 2020
- Opposition Parties Vow to Restore Conservation Authority Powers
