Province proposing the consolidation of Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities into regional Conservation Authorities

Lisa Hastings
Nov 21, 2025
3 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

On October 31, 2025, the Ontario government announced that it will introduce legislation to create the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency (OPCA) with the aim of “improving the province’s conservation authority system to help get shovels in the ground faster on homes and other local infrastructure projects, while strengthening the vital role Conservation Authorities play in managing watersheds and protecting communities from floods and natural hazards”.

The proposal would consolidate the 36 Conservation Authorities into seven regional Conservation Authorities. Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) would be consolidated into an Eastern Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority, which is a consolidation of the following seven Conservation Authorities: Central Lake Ontario, Kawartha Region, Otonobee Region, Ganaraska Region, Lower Trent Region, Crowe Valley and Quinte Region.

In the map above, what is referred to as the 'Central Lake Ontario REGIONAL CONSERVATION AUTHORITY' is currently the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

The map above illustrates the proposed Eastern Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority, which is a consolidation of the following seven Conservation Authorities: Central Lake Ontario, Kawartha Region, Otonobee Region, Ganaraska Region, Lower Trent Region, Crowe Valley and Quinte Region.

Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority is governed by members of the seven municipalities within the CLOCA watershed who make up our Board of Directors. Board Members are appointed for a four-year term, following municipal elections, with representation based on municipal populations in our watershed. Our Board Members authorize CLOCA’s programs and policies, which are then implemented by staff.

The proposed Eastern Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority would include 48 municipalities. Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority's existing Board of Directors is made up of local municipal representatives, who would be replaced by a new, yet-to-be-determined municipal governance structure.

On November 6, 2025, the province introduced Bill 68, Plan to Protect Ontario Act (Budget Measures) which includes Schedule 3 amending the Conservation Authorities Act to establish a Provincial Conservation Agency to govern Conservation Authorities. The province posted a proposal on the ERO (ERO 025-1257) seeking feedback on the proposed boundaries and criteria for the regional consolidation of Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities (deadline for comments was December 22, 2025).

The proposed consolidation into seven regional conservation authorities would merge a large geographic area with drastically different watershed characteristics, municipal planning priorities, flood infrastructure profiles, ecological conditions, and development pressures under a single agency. CLOCA recognizes the importance of modernization and supports efforts to enhance both efficiency and environmental protection across the province. A system that delivers services more consistently, transparently, and predictably will benefit municipalities, developers, and communities alike, particularly as Ontario continues to grow and climate-related risks intensify.

However, CLOCA proposes pausing consideration of consolidation to allow for meaningful engagement and a cost-benefit analysis of alternative consolidation models. Consolidation on such a large scale would bring many logistical and administrative challenges and disruptions, diverting staff resources from the delivery of critical natural hazard and heritage management responsibilities that need to be addressed prior to consolidation.

At its Board Meeting on December 16, 2025, in its response to the province’s Environmental Registry Posting 025-1257, CLOCA’s Board of Directors resolved and endorsed that the Province of Ontario pause any decision to consolidate Conservation Authorities to allow:

the OPCA to complete its first three-year term and a subsequent assessment of the need for consolidation;
for meaningful engagement needed to address the concerns and risks of the proposed consolidation; and
for the review of alternative consolidation models and processes that would result in better outcomes.

This resolution (Staff Report #5962-25) was endorsed by CLOCA's Board of Directors and submitted to the Province of Ontario as CLOCA’s comments regarding Environmental Registry Posting 025-1257, and forwarded to all municipalities within CLOCA's watershed.

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