The provincial plan to consolidate Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities into seven regional agencies would group Midwestern Ontario’s local watershed authorities into two new regional bodies, reshaping how flood protection, permitting, and watershed services are delivered across the region.
Under the province’s proposal (ERO posting 025-1257), the nearby conservation authorities would be placed as follows:
The Huron-Superior Regional Conservation Authority would include Maitland Valley, Ausable Bayfield, Saugeen, and Grey Sauble (along with Nottawasaga Valley and Lake Simcoe).
The Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority would include Upper Thames and Grand River (along with Long Point, Catfish, Kettle Creek, Lower Thames, and St. Clair).
The province says the consolidation is meant to reduce administrative duplication, standardize permitting, speed approvals and free up resources for front-line work such as flood forecasting, source-water protection and trail management. The proposal keeps conservation authority jurisdiction tied to watershed boundaries and says core programs will continue.
Locally, the restructuring could mean larger regional offices handling administration while day-to-day, front-line staff (the people who deliver tree-planting programs, maintain trails, issue permits and run flood warning systems) would continue to work in communities, according to provincial guidance released with the plan. Municipal governance of the new regional authorities would remain in place, the proposal says, but the size and structure of boards and municipal representation are among the items the province is asking for feedback on.
Conservation authorities in the region have moved cautiously. Some noted surprise at the timing of the announcement but said they will take part in the consultation and aim to protect front-line services and local knowledge through the transition. Authorities emphasized the need for clear timelines, assurances about staffing, and detailed maps showing how municipal and watershed borders will be represented in the new regions.
The province’s discussion period on the proposed boundaries runs through Dec. 22, 2025 on the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Residents, municipal councils, Indigenous communities, watershed partners and other stakeholders can submit comments and answer the province’s discussion questions on governance, board makeup, service continuity and how to keep local communities involved.
If implemented, the province says consolidation would be phased in with provincial oversight to limit disruptions. Local conservation authorities say the coming weeks of consultation will be crucial for shaping how the new regional authorities will operate and how local services will be preserved.
