United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) council has requested that the Ontario government exercise caution with its plan to reform the province’s system of Conservation Authorities.
A bill currently before the Ontario legislature would create a provincial agency to oversee and coordinate the activities of Conservation Authorities and would also consolidate the number of Conservation Authorities from 36 to seven. All of the UCPR is within the territory of the South Nation Conservation Authority (South Nation Conservation), except for Champlain Township and East Hawkesbury Township. Conservation Authorities are provincially regulated, but most of their funding comes from a municipal tax levy and their boards are composed of municipal councillors and other citizens appointed by municipalities.
At a special meeting of UCPR Council on December 10, 2025, a motion introduced by Russell Township Mayor Mike Tarnowski was adopted which calls on the Government of Ontario to maintain local, independent, municipally governed, watershed-based conservation authorities, ensuring strong municipal representation in decisions related to levies, land management, and community-focused program outcomes. The motion states that while the UCPR supports provincial objectives related to consistent permitting standards, shared services, and digital modernization, the imposition of a top-down centralized agency risks increasing cost, red tape, and administrative complexity while reducing accountability and responsiveness to local watershed needs. The motion calls for the UCPR to support balanced approaches to improving capacity, efficiency, and technical expertise across conservation authorities and requests that the province work collaboratively with municipalities and existing conservation authorities to evaluate where strategic consolidation—if any—is appropriate, effective, and financially sustainable.
The motion was adopted without any discussion by the eight mayors on UCPR Council. A copy of the adopted motion is being sent to the Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks; local Members of Parliament and Members of Provincial Parliament, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario; the Rural Ontario Municipal Association; and all municipalities and Conservation Authorities in Ontario.
