Local News

Lanark County councillors received a report on at their virtual Corporate Services committee meeting this week regarding provincial legislation impacting Conservation Authorities. 

Sommer Casgrain-Robertson and Sally McIntyre of the Rideau Valley and Mississippi Valley Conservation Authorities brought councilors up to date on the province’s plans to enact some major changes to their organizations’ operations. 

Their main concern was that the Queen’s Park proposals were included in a budget bill which eliminates any public consultations. The changes would bar public citizens from sitting on any authority board leaving the membership open to only municipal councilors. 

The province would be given sweeping powers to regulate conservation authorities’ fees, municipal levies, and programming. 

Cabinet ministers would also be given the power to overrule any authorities’ land-use rulings without being subject to an appeal process.

The committee approved a motion to contact a variety of provincial representatives and municipality organizations to lobby for public consultation on the legislation which is headed for second reading in Queen’s Park.