Conservation Authority Amalgamation

What’s the Issue?

On March 10, 2026, the Ontario government announced it is moving forward with merging 36 existing conservation authorities (CAs) into nine regional, watershed-based CAs. The government originally proposed 7, with no planning around watershed management. Public consultation led them to produce a watershed council and to amalgamate into 9 instead of 7 due to regional concerns. This, coupled with recent laws and policy changes like the More Homes Build Faster Act (2022), and Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act (2025), illuminate a short sighted approach that does not compensate for long-term environmental compromises and ultimately fails to implement best practice methodologies as defined by experts.

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“The Conservation Authorities Act of 1946 was established in response to widespread flooding, drought, erosion, and deforestation problems. The key principle guiding their formation was the management of natural resources on a watershed basis rather than by political or municipal boundaries. Amalgamating these scientifically-backed conservation authority (CA) zones from thirty-six to just seven would severely undermine the original mandate of the Act and conservation initiatives thereof, putting farmers and citizens at risk.”

Re: ERO 025-1257 – Proposed boundaries for the regional consolidation of Ontario’s conservation authorities

“This proposed consolidation threatens the livelihoods and conservation efforts of farmers and Ontarians as a whole. We oppose legislative and regulatory changes that erode protections for farmland and natural heritage lands, and that diminish transparent, democratic decision-making.”

– Josh Suppan, President, National Farmers Union – Ontario

Ontario Nature: Broad Coalition of Civil Society Organizations Calls for a Halt to the Consolidation of Ontario’s Conservation Authorities

“Farmers rely on CA’s as trusted partners in land and water stewardship. They provide technical expertise on erosion control, drainage management, flood prevention, and soil conservation. These relationships are built over years of collaboration between local staff, farmers, municipalities, and conservation groups. Amalgamation risks disrupting these relationships, reducing local capacity, and slowing response times when farmers need practical support on the ground. The NFU-O is particularly concerned that larger regional authorities will dilute rural and agricultural representation in decision-making. As authorities grow in size and jurisdiction, governance structures will become more centralized and less responsive to the communities most directly affected by land-use and water management decisions. While a Watershed Council accounts for agricultural stakeholders in an attempt to incorporate local voices in decision making, past experience shows that representation can be dominated by representatives from larger agricultural sectors. The NFU-O is adamant that agricultural stakeholders must reflect the full diversity of Ontario agriculture, including smaller-scale and equity-deserving farmers, and the new system must consult with all Accredited Farm Organizations to ensure adequate representation.”

Media Release: NFU-O Warns Conservation Authority Amalgamation Risks Undermining Decades of Localized Conservation Work

Our Goals

The NFU-O wants to see the 36 Conservation Authorities reinstated to prevent increased flood risk, reduction in localized food security, disruptions in agricultural stewardship, dilution of rural representation, and complication of permitting and timelines with less flexible local decision making.

Our Actions

Despite our December, 2025 ERO 025-1257 response submission, on March 10, 2026, the Ontario government announced it is moving forward with merging 36 existing conservation authorities (CAs) into nine regional, watershed-based CAs. We responded with a release, 

Conservation Authority Amalgamation response in March. We collaborated with Ontario Nature in a media briefing: NFU-O Board Treasurer attending media briefing at Queen’s Park with Ontario Nature. NFU-O promoted a rally for conservation authorities by Save Our Streams Hamilton.