The Province of Ontario announced that it will introduce legislation to create an Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency to provide leadership, governance, and strategic direction to conservation authorities.
This agency will be tasked to develop a provincial digital permitting platform, establish standardized service delivery and oversee the consolidation of conservation authorities with the aim of improving the province’s conservation authority system to construct homes and other local infrastructure projects faster.
Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Todd McCarthy stated that conservation authorities will continue to deliver local programs and services.