Conservation Authorities Act

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) is governed by the Conservation Authorities Act (CA Act) and associated regulations.

Conservation Authorities Act – Ontario Legislation

For a link to the Conservation Authorities Act on the Province of Ontario’s website click link below:

• Conservation Authorities Act – Province of Ontario – Ontario law

Conservation Authorities Act – Regulations

In October, 2021, the Province of Ontario released Phase 1 regulations designed to implement amendments to the Conservation Authorities Act (CA Act).
 
The regulations give conservation authorities until January 1, 2024, to complete the transition to a new budgetary framework with their municipalities. 

These extended timelines provide sufficient time for conservation authorities to prepare a transition plan, finalize an inventory of programs and services, and enter into Memorandums (Memoranda) of Understanding and/or Agreements with their participating municipalities. 

The following three new regulations have been made under the Conservation Authorities Act:

Ontario Regulation 686/21: Mandatory Programs and Services: 

This regulation (Ontario Regulation 686/21) prescribes the mandatory programs and services conservation authorities would be required to provide, including core watershed-based resource management strategies. 

Ontario Regulation 687/21: Transition Plans and Agreements for Programs and Services Under Section 21.1.2 of the Act: 

This regulation (Ontario Regulation 687/21) requires each authority to have a ‘transition plan’ that would outline the steps to be taken to develop an inventory of programs and services and to enter into agreements with participating municipalities to fund non-mandatory programs and services through a municipal levy, among other things. It also establishes the transition period to enter into those agreements. 

Conservation Authorities Act Amendments – Transition Plan – Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA)

For a copy of the approved Transition Plan please download the following PDF file:

• Transition Plan (1 MB – Large – PDF file) – Approved by ABCA Board of Directors on November 18, 2021

For the approved timeline for the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) Transition plan please download the following PDF file:

• Transition Plan Timeline (1 MB – Large – PDF file) – Approved by ABCA Board of Directors on November 18, 2021

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Inventory of Programs and Services

Ontario Regulation 687/21: Transition Plans and Agreements for Programs and Services Under Section 21.1.2 of the Act requires each conservation authority to complete an inventory of programs and services. This document lists all the programs and services the authority is providing as of February 28, 2022, and intends to provide after February 28, 2022. The Regulation requires Conservation Authority activities be positioned into three categories: 

Category 1 defines the mandatory programs and services.

Category 2 activities are at the request of, or on behalf of, a municipality through a Memorandum of Understanding or other agreement.

Category 3 activities are outside the Category 1 mandatory programs and services that the Conservation Authority decides are required to conserve the watershed.

The current inventory has been developed with financial information from past years’ actuals, current budget and five-year financial forecast. This document provides very brief descriptions. 

• ABCA Inventory of Programs and Services (Table, February 2022) - 1 MB (Large) PDF file

Please refer to the 2022 ABCA Annual Report at Annual Reports for more information on the work of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. 

This inventory will be revised through the process of entering into agreements with municipalities for Category 2 and 3 activities. 

Inquiries about the inventory may be directed to General Manager and Secretary-Treasurer Davin Heinbuck. 

Ontario Regulation (O. Reg.) 41/24: Prohibited Activities, Exemptions and Permits

Ontario Regulation (O. Reg.) 41/24: Prohibited Activities, Exemptions and Permits, under Conservation Authorities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.27, came into effect on April 1, 2024.