The province postures, but Conservation Authorities keep working

Jeff Green | Jan 22, 2020

A delegation that included the general managers of three of the four Conservation Authorities that are responsible for watershed management in Frontenac County, made a presentation to the monthly Frontenac County Council meeting last Wednesday (January 16) in Glenburnie.

Katrina Furlanetto, from Cataraqui Conservation, led the delegation, supported by Sommer-Casgrain Robertson (Rideau Valley), Sally McIntyre (Mississippi Valley), and Brad McNevin, chief administrative officer from Quinte Conservation. 

The politicians around the table are familiar with the work of the Conservation Authorities (CA) because they, or members of their council, sit on the governing boards of each Conservation Authority whose watersheds include territory that falls within their boundaries. The CA’s also provide services to the municipalities under contract.

The presentation was designed not only to provide some basic information about the mandates of the CA’s but also to bring Council up to speed about the changing political reality that may be facing both the CA’s and the municipalities as the provincial government contemplates changes.

Last year, the Conservation Act was changed, but the new regulations that spring from those changes have not been developed. In August, the Minister of the Environment sent out a letter telling CA’s that they should prepare to wind down services that do not fall within their core mandate.

“From the Province’s perspective, that core mandate relates to our work on natural hazards, flood control being central to that, not the natural heritage, hydrogeology and storm water management work that we do” said Sommer Casgrain-Robertson, in a phone interview after the meeting.

Since the summer, the provincial position seems to have changed. The range of services provided by CA’s to municipalities such as: water quality studies, working with landowners on stewardship efforts, protecting and preserving shorelines, wetlands and floodplains , will likely be maintained. But these services will have to be governed by a series of memoranda of understanding between the CA’s and each of the municipalities that they work with and for.

During her presentation, Katrina Furlanetto pointed out that for this year at least, changes are on hold and the CA’s are operating as normal as consultation regarding he changes is still under way.

Meetings between the Ministry of the Environment and municipal officials are taking place in the coming weeks, including one in Peterborough in early February. CA’s are asking that if there are going to be substantive changes, that there be sufficient lead time so they are less disruptive, and are hoping their municipal partners will impress that need to the province as well.

Furlanetto pointed out as well that the province provides only a small amount of CA funding, between 3 and 5 per cent, for specific services. Grants and fundraising provide funding for projects, but the bulk of funding for CA work comes from the municipalities where they are located. CA’s are also governed by municipally appointed boards.

“We are always working to improve our operations, and provide transparency to our boards and municipal funders,” said Casgrain-Roberston.

CA’s are also a commenting agency for planning departments, as part of the planning approval process. The province is seeking a speedier planning approval process and there may be measures aimed at changing how that work is done by the Conservation Authorities.

Katrina Furlanetto said CA’s across the Province are working to standardise how they provide planning comments, while maintaining the local perspective that comes from their accumulated knowledge about their own watersheds.

“We are always open to improvement,” she said.