A delegation from Huron-Kinloss had a chance to ask Huron County council to reach out to the Ontario government to re-think the impending amalgamation of conservation authorities in the region.
On Thursday, Councillor Ed McGugan, who is also the vice-chair of Conservation Ontario, shared efforts that have been done so far.
McGugan shared that it would be detrimental to small communities throughout the province if the Ontario government gets its way, reducing the number of conservation authorities down to just nine organizations.
“Rural Ontario will have a very dramatic reduction in involvement with work of conservation on our land and in our small towns. And we will have a markedly reduced representation in the governance in these regional CAs. No evidence has been given – by the province – to indicate that the changes will yield any improvements,” he said.
Since the Ontario government released their plan to amalgamate local-level conservation authorities into larger organizations, many smaller and more rural communities have been expressing concern.
One of the main issues includes the fact that smaller communities won’t have their voices heard, because of larger towns and cities having more representation due to population size alone.
McGugan was joined by Huron-Kinloss Mayor and Bruce County Deputy Warden Don Murray, who shared that it was important to keep conservation authorities de-centralized, and it is particularly important for the municipal governments to continue to speak out to the province over those concerns.
“If we don’t keep asking and bugging, we won’t get an answer,” shared Murray, who added that there had been a productive delegation at ROMA back in January.
Huron-Kinloss has also put in a request for another delegation at the upcoming AMO conference next month, from August 16th-19th.
In November 2025, the province released proposed boundaries for the consolidation of Ontario’s conservation authorities.
One of those proposed changes would create the Lake Huron Regional Conservation Authority, which combines Ausable Bayfield, Grey Sauble, Lake Simcoe, Maitland Valley, Nottawasaga, and Saugeen Valley.
The proposed consolidation stretches from Grand Bend to Orillia, and from Tobermory to Newmarket.
When considering shoreline and parts of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, that is an area that spans approximately 24,817 square kilometres.
“I’m a farmer at heart, and I know that this (proposed) size of a conservation authority will do me no good,” Murray said.
McGugan drove his point home by adding, “We expect this amalgamation more costly for the local taxpayer, less effective in protecting the local environment, lake Huron, and our local farmers and landowners, will not make any difference in reducing housing costs, or increasing housing built.”
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