Ontario’s environment minister says a new Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency is set to be up and running by 2027—but not everyone’s on board.
The mayors of Mississauga and Brampton are speaking out against the province’s plan to merge 36 conservation authorities into just nine. They say the move could bring “serious and immediate risks” to some of Ontario’s biggest and most important cities.
In a letter sent last week, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish made it clear—they’re not supporting the proposed changes, especially when it comes to merging the Credit Valley Conservation.
They stressed that local watershed systems play a huge role in keeping communities safe and running smoothly. Any changes, they warned, could disrupt services that residents and businesses rely on every day.
The province, however, says the plan is meant to improve things—not make them worse. A spokesperson for Environment Minister Todd McCarthy said services will remain the same, but the new system will reduce overlap, speed up approvals, and focus more on frontline work.
Originally, the province had planned to reduce the number of conservation authorities to seven, but after public feedback—including over 14,000 comments—it adjusted the plan to nine. These new bodies will fall under the upcoming Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency.
Still, Peel Region’s mayors aren’t convinced. They worry the changes could slow down housing approvals, create uncertainty for builders, and even impact flood mapping and forecasting—something that’s especially concerning given recent flooding in the region.
Conservation authorities currently handle permits for building in sensitive areas like floodplains, shorelines, and wetlands. The mayors argue that a larger, regional system could weaken the quick, local response that cities depend on.
Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner also weighed in, saying the mayors’ concerns highlight real risks. With extreme weather becoming more frequent, he says now isn’t the time to scale back protections that help keep homes and communities safe.
(Source: CBC News)
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