Ontario to consolidate conservation authorities, create new oversight agency

Ontario is proposing to consolidate its 36 conservation authorities into seven, a move the environment minister insists will improve services and result in no job losses.

Environment Minister Todd McCarthy announced Friday that the government will soon introduce legislation to establish a new provincial agency to oversee the amalgamated conservation authorities and consult on the proposed boundaries of the new regional authorities.

NDP environment critic Peter Tabuns said centralizing environmental decision-making is the wrong move.

"(The premier) is hollowing out the very agencies that defend our land, water and wildlife, all so his developer friends can build wherever they please," he wrote in a statement.