While some municipal leaders in Ontario are questioning the Doug Ford government’s intention to amalgamate the province’s three dozen conservation authorities, Quinte West Mayor Major Jim Harrison says he’s keeping an open mind while waiting to see the details.
MBC caught with Harrison to delve into the matter, which has prompted several local leaders to speak up in the wake of the proposed merger.
Here is what we heard.
Harrison says conservation is everyone’s business and right now Quinte West spends in the neighbourhood of $800,000 dollars to do the right thing.
On the question of shrinking 36 conservation authorities to nine, Harrison says no initiative is without challenges.
Harrison says he believes good conservation practices can be attained responsibly if community members, political leaders, developers and regulators work together.
Some Ontario mayors have suggested amalgamation could hurt development initiatives that are already in-place. Harrison says that sentiment simply sharpens his point that we have to work together on a new framework that helps communities.
