Conservation Authorities Act Review: Update. John Dungavell, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) ROMA Conference January 30, 2017

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1 Conservation Authorities Act Review: Update John Dungavell, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) ROMA Conference January 30, 2017

2 Outline 1. Overview of Conservation Authorities (CAs) and the Conservation Authority Act Funding CA governance CA roles and responsibilities 2. Conservation Authorities Act Review status update 2

3 Drivers for the Conservation Authorities Act In response to poor land, water & forestry practices in the 1930s and 1940s leading to extensive drought, soil loss, deforestation & exacerbated flooding, it was enacted in

4 What is the Conservation Authorities Act? What s a CA? + local public sector organizations similar to local health units or school boards. They are not agencies, boards or commissions of the province + each CA is established and made up of a number of municipalities working together within a watershed + each CA is governed by municipally-appointed board of directors The Act allows municipalities to establish a conservation authority in conjunction with the province, to develop and deliver a local resource management program at a watershed scale. The Act is enabling and focuses on: the process to establish, operate and fund a conservation authority; the general scope of objectives for authority programs; and, the powers to achieve them. The Act allows conservation authorities flexibility to deliver: 1. Shared provincial (MNRF)/municipal program in public safety, natural hazard prevention; 2. A local resource management program reflective of local needs/geography approved by the CA board and which can include partnerships with others; and 3. Other delegated municipal, provincial and potentially federal interests in resource management. Supported by regulations that direct conservation authorities in the application of municipal levies and in regulating development and activities for purposes of public safety/natural hazard management. 4

5 Conservation Authorities (CA) 36 Conservation authorities 90% of Ontario s population covered 900+ Flood and erosion control structures managed $2.7billion asset value of owned flood control infrastructure 4,800+ staff (2014) 496 board members (2014) $341million collective revenue (2015) 5

6 Conservation Authorities funding Revenue sources Four revenue sources enabled by the Act: 1. Municipal Levies; 2. Self-Generated Revenue; 3. MNRF Grants; and 4. Provincial Transfer Payments. Municipalities provide nearly 50% of conservation authority revenues with roughly 10% of revenue provided by the province. 6

7 Conservation Authority governance Primary responsibilities: 1. Conservation Authority Board Setting strategic and operational policies, approving budgets and programming Selecting, directing and providing oversight of senior staff (e.g. CAO) and ensuring operations in accordance with the Act Permit decisions (based on provincial direction) positive decisions delegated to staff 2. Municipalities (through their board appointments) Request the establishment of a CA Making re-structuring decisions (e.g. enlargement, amalgamation, etc.) Directing and overseeing non-provincially approved programs and services 3. Province (MNRF) Administering the Act objects, powers, etc. Establishing a CA (at the request of two or more municipalities) Providing policy and guidance for provincially approved/delegated programs and services 7

8 Conservation Authority roles and responsibilities The Act enables conservation authorities to undertake a wide range of resource management activities with varying accountabilities Conservation Authorities Act activities Provincial/ Municipal Natural Hazard Management Local Resource Management Activities Municipal Service Contracts Other Provincial and Federal Interests accountabilities Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Conservation Authority Municipal Clients Various responsibilities Flood & erosion control Ice management Flood forecasting & warming PPS Municipal Plan Review S.28 regulation of development & activities in hazard prone areas for impacts to the hazards & interfering with a watercourse or wetland Conservation lands & purchase Outdoor education & research Outdoor recreation Stewardship Water quality monitoring & improvement Monitoring, data collection, mapping Research studies, watershed plans Assessment of environmental impacts Hydrogeology Storm water management, septic system review Planning & review, natural heritage advice Legislated Roles: Planning Act (MAA) Clean Water Act (MOECC) Lake Simcoe Protect Act (MOECC) Voluntary Contracts & Agreements Canada Ontario Agreement Provincial Groundwater & Water Quality Monitoring (MOECC) etc., 8

9 Conservation Authorities Act review Review objective Identify opportunities to improve the existing legislative, regulatory and policy framework that governs CAs and the programs/services they deliver on behalf of the province, municipalities, and others. 9

10 Results Areas of Review 1. Governance 2. Funding mechanisms 3. Roles and responsibilities Summary of findings across sectors and development of priorities: Continued relevance of the CA model including the management of resources at the watershed scale Recognition of the valuable role CAs play in managing natural hazards, supporting climate change adaption, educating, stewardship and managing conservation areas Areas of agreement used to identify priority areas for input during Stage 2 8

11 Results Priorities for improvement Strengthen oversight and accountability in decision making. Increasing clarity and consistency in roles and responsibilities, processes and requirements. Improving collaboration and engagement among all parties involved in resource management. Modernizing funding mechanisms to support conservation authority operations. Enhancing flexibility for the province to update the Conservation Authorities Act framework in the future. 11

12 Current status & next steps MNRF is currently preparing for Stage 3 of the review Anyone wishing to ensure that they are on the MNRF s contact list can send an to mnrwaterpolicy@ontario.ca Stage 3 of the review will outline changes to the existing framework being proposed by the MNRF in response to review findings MNRF hopes to initiate Stage 3 of the review in spring 2017 Notifications regarding the initiation of Stage 3 of the review will be provided to any individual who has provided contact information to the MNRF (directly or indirectly by submitting comments, attending engagement sessions, etc.,) 12