Ontario seeks to consolidate conservation authorities, create new provincial agency

The Ontario government plans to introduce legislation to consolidate the province’s conservation authorities from 36 into seven regional authorities.

The plan also aims to establish a new Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency (OPCA) with the goal of modernizing the province’s conservation authority system and accelerating approvals for housing and infrastructure projects, while maintaining flood protection and watershed management.

Environment, Conservation and Parks Minister Todd McCarthy said the new agency will provide stronger leadership and more consistent permitting across the province’s conservation authorities, which currently operate with varying policies, standards, and capacities.

The province said more than half of Ontario municipalities currently fall within multiple conservation authority boundaries, creating inefficiencies. The proposed consolidation could reduce that overlap by 63%, freeing up resources for front-line conservation work.

“Conservation authorities play a vital role in protecting our communities and managing our watersheds, but the system has become too fragmented, inconsistent and outdated,” McCarthy announced on October 31. “The new, dedicated agency would work with conservation leaders to ensure faster, more transparent permitting and more front-line services so we can reduce delays, support economic growth, and keep our communities safe from floods and other natural hazards.”

The province said the move aligns with its broader plan to reduce red tape, strengthen Ontario’s economic competitiveness, and ensure resilient local infrastructure.

Under the proposed legislation, the OPCA would oversee all conservation authorities, setting province-wide performance standards and offering centralized governance, data, and oversight.

Key modernization initiatives would include:

• A single digital permitting platform to speed up and streamline approvals;
• Standardized service delivery across conservation authorities through consistent standards and updated floodplain mapping;
• Regional consolidation of conservation authorities to reduce duplication and administrative overlap.

The Ontario government said that despite structural changes, consolidated conservation authorities would continue to carry out core programs such as flood protection, watershed management, drinking water source protection, and public access to conservation lands and trails.

Hassaan Basit, the province’s Chief Conservation Executive, said the proposed agency would help modernize operations and improve transparency.

“With better tools and more resources for front-line staff, local conservation authorities will have a greater ability to use technical data, research and analysis to make decisions, operate with greater consistency and transparency, and deliver faster services to municipalities, residents and permit applicants,” Basit announced.

The government said consultations will begin soon with municipalities, Indigenous communities, stakeholders, and the public to help define the new regional boundaries and ensure uninterrupted local service delivery.

Ontario’s conservation authorities are unique in Canada for their watershed-based approach to managing natural hazards, drinking water protection, and environmental monitoring. They also issue permits for developments located in floodplains, wetlands, and other sensitive areas.

If passed, the new legislation would mark the most significant reform of Ontario’s conservation authority system in decades.

The comment period will close on December 22.

The seven proposed regional authorities are:

• Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority – covers southwestern Ontario watersheds draining into Lake Erie, including the Thames, Grand, and Sydenham systems, supporting agriculture, industry, and shoreline communities. Primarily based on the Northern Lake Erie Secondary Watershed
• Huron-Superior Regional Conservation Authority – includes watersheds along Lake Huron’s northern shore and the Lake Superior basin, supporting conservation and flood management across vast northern watersheds. Primarily based on the Eastern Lake Huron and southern portion of Eastern Georgian Bay Secondary Watershed and in the north the central portion of Northwestern Lake Superior Secondary Watershed.
• Western Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority – extends along the western Lake Ontario shoreline from Niagara through Halton and Peel, encompassing urban and rural watersheds that support the Greater Toronto–Hamilton corridor. Primarily based on the western portion of the Northern Lake Ontario and Niagara River Secondary Watershed.
• Central Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority – covers the watersheds from north of Toronto, including parts of York Region, west through Peel Region, east through Durham, and into parts of the Kawarthas, balancing urban growth and agricultural lands while protecting key tributaries to Lake Ontario. Primarily based on the central portion of the Northern Lake Ontario and Niagara River Secondary Watershed.
• Eastern Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority – Includes watersheds draining to eastern Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte, including the Trent and Cataraqui systems, supporting a mix of agricultural, urban, and coastal communities. Primarily based on the eastern portion of the Northern Lake Ontario and Niagara River Secondary Watershed.
• St. Lawrence Regional Conservation Authority – Encompasses watersheds flowing into the St. Lawrence River, including the Raisin and South Nation areas, coordinating flood and water management across eastern Ontario. Primarily based on the Upper St. Lawrence, Lower Ottawa River, and southern portion of the Central Ottawa River Secondary Watersheds.
• Northeastern Ontario Regional Conservation Authority – Brings together the conservation authorities in the northeast, maintaining coordination across large watershed areas and shared northern infrastructure and ecosystems. Its work focuses on maintaining healthy waterways, protecting natural habitats, and promoting sustainable land and water use across major watershed areas that span parts of Northern Lake Huron, the Abitibi, Missinaibi, Mattagami, Wanipitai, French, and Upper Ottawa River systems.

An address can be entered into an interactive map to see which regional conservation authority it belongs to.