Ontario is proposing one of the most significant changes to its watershed management system in decades: consolidating the province’s 36 conservation authorities into seven regional authorities. The goal is to streamline operations, modernize governance, reduce duplication, and improve service consistency.
The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) supports efforts to improve efficiency, but engineering and science must remain at the core of Ontario’s watershed management system.
Below is a summary of our position and why this reform matters for public safety, climate resilience, and Ontario’s future growth.
Why Conservation Authorities Matter to Engineers – and All Ontarians
Conservation authorities do far more than protect natural spaces. Their technical work directly influences:
- Flood forecasting and warning
- Stormwater and erosion control
- Watershed modelling and long-term data collection
- Infrastructure planning
- Housing development and land-use decisions
Engineers depend on conservation authorities for high-quality data and timely permitting. Municipalities depend on them to protect homes, businesses, and infrastructure from floods and other natural hazards. And communities depend on them to keep people safe.
Key Risks
We support modernization and consistency if it strengthens technical capacity, but consolidations comes with significant risk.
Ontario’s current system can be fragmented since policies and technical standards vary across authorities and turnaround times for permits can be unpredictable. Creating Regional Conservation Authorities (RCAs) could offer improvement in data-sharing and alignment with provincial housing and infrastructure needs, however, major risks include:
1. Losing Local Watershed Knowledge
Flood behaviour, erosion patterns, and watercourse dynamics vary dramatically from one watershed to another.
If regionalization stretches teams too thin, we risk losing:
- On-the-ground expertise
- Local flood records
- Relationships with municipalities and Indigenous communities
- Real-time responsiveness during storms and emergencies
2. Data Disruptions
Ontario’s flood and climate resilience systems rely on continuous monitoring. Any break in data collection can undermine modelling accuracy and risk assessments.
3. Slower, Less Predictable Permitting
During transitions, there may be uncertainty about roles and staffing, as a consequence, processes could:
- Delay critical infrastructure projects
- Increase costs
- Undermine public safety
4. Uneven Capacity in Regions
The proposed reorganization of conservation authorities covers vast areas of populous regions in Southwestern Ontario.
Northern Ontario would be reorganized into two Regional Conservation Authorities (RCA)s, Northeastern and Huron Superior RCA. Without minimum staffing levels in these remote RCAs, communities risk losing equitable access to technical expertise and hazard management.
OSPE’s Recommendations to Protect Public Safety
If consolidation proceeds, OSPE has identified opportunities and safeguards to ensure it strengthens Ontario’s watershed system.
1. Establish Regional Technical Sub-Units
Local field offices with engineers, hydrologists, and geomorphologists are essential to maintain watershed-specific expertise.
2. Mandate Minimum Technical Staffing Levels
Each region must have enough qualified professionals to handle its size, complexity, and risk profile.
3. Build a Provincewide Digital Data System
Shared modelling tools, monitoring databases, and mapping platforms will support consistency and climate-resilient planning.
4. Prioritize Indigenous and Municipal Engagement
Local relationships must be preserved and strengthened under a regional model.
5. Create a Stable, Clear Transition Plan
The transition plan should include:
- Defined service standards
- Points of contact
- Permitting continuity protocols
- Staff retention measures
This will safeguard both public safety and infrastructure timelines.
Opportunities If Reform Is Done Right
A well-designed regional authority system could offer major benefits:
- Predictable, consistent permitting provincewide
- Stronger cross-watershed collaboration on climate resilience
- Reduced administrative burden for municipalities
- Modernized digital tools and modelling systems
- Faster, clearer service for engineers, developers, and communities
The Bottom Line
Ontario’s RCAs are a frontline defense against floods, erosion, and climate risk. Their technical work is essential to engineering safe communities, supporting housing growth, and protecting people and property.
Consolidation cannot come at the expense of watershed science, data continuity, or local expertise.
OSPE looks forward to continued collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to ensure Ontario builds a modern, streamlined conservation authority system rooted in evidence, engineering excellence, and climate resilience.
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