Public Consultation

Public consultation on projects

This is the web page for public consultation by Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA).

Members of the public have participated on steering committees for several strategic plans including the Conservation Strategy, Shoreline Management Plan, Main Bayfield Watershed Plan, and Old Ausable Channel Management Plan, to name a few. 

Citizen involvement helps ensure documents meet the needs of the community and local water, soil, and habitat, and include practical, implementable recommendations and action plans.

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority also invites public comment on projects and policies. Check this page for updates. 

Conservation Lands Strategy approved

Thanks to the public for input

Thank you for your feedback on Conservation Land Management.

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) Board of Directors approved the Conservation Lands Strategy (CLS) on November 21, 2024.

The new Strategy is posted on the Ausable Bayfield Conservation website as per Ontario Regulation 686/21: Mandatory Programs and Services under Conservation Authorities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.27.

• Download the Conservation Lands Strategy – 3 MB (large) PDF file

The document is available in alternate format upon request.

This new document provides an over-arching framework that guides management planning, and implementation on all ABCA properties. 

The strategy recognizes the mission, and vision of the ABCA, and includes further management goals, objectives, and considerations that subsequently guides property-level management planning and implementation. 

Last winter, ABCA completed preliminary public engagement to better understand how the community uses ABCA property. Through this engagement, ABCA learned more about the properties that people are using, and how often they visit the properties; what type of activities people are participating in, how they felt ABCA should invest in the properties, and how the community felt management objectives should be prioritized. 

ABCA received positive feedback through these engagement efforts, and the feedback was incorporated into the development of the Conservation Lands Strategy. 

ABCA subsequently received feedback, through written comments, on the draft Conservation Lands Strategy, between October 2 and 22, 2024. 

That consultation period is now complete. Thank you for having provided your comments.

Watershed-Based Resource Management Strategy approved

Thanks to public for input

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Board of Directors has approved the Watershed-Based Resource Management Strategy (WBRMS).

The new Strategy is posted on the Ausable Bayfield Conservation website as per Ontario Regulation 686/21: Mandatory Programs and Services under Conservation Authorities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.27.

You are invited to download the Watershed-Based Resource Management Strategy – 1 MB (large) PDF file.

The approved Strategy is available on the Documents web page of the Governance section of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation website at abca.ca.

The document is available in alternate format upon request.

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority developed a new watershed strategy to guide the watershed conservation organization beyond 2023. The document fulfills the needs of the ABCA and requirements of the Conservation Authorities Act (CA Act). It builds on past strategic documents including the Conservation Strategy and Watershed Strategy (2015-2025).

The Watershed-Based Resource Management Strategy  guides the management and operations of ABCA. It goes beyond a traditional a watershed planning document. It is also a business plan for the ABCA and informs the five-year budget forecast and yearly budgets as well as identifying opportunities to collaborate with other organizations and engage landowners to achieve the objectives.

The following priorities were identified during Phase 1 of the strategy development:

1. Protecting life and minimizing property damage from flooding and erosion.
2.  Improving the health of the watersheds.
3. Managing land holdings in a responsible and sustainable way.
4. Protecting sources of drinking water for current and future generations.

At its December 14, 2023 meeting, the ABCA Board of Directors approved focus areas and program areas for public review. We received written comments until January 31, 2024 as part of this consultation.

Thanks to everyone who took part. The comment period has now ended.

Conservation Authorities Act

Subsections 12(4)-(7) of Ontario Regulation 686/21 set out the required components to be included in the WBRMS. Each individual conservation authority can determine the strategy framework and format. 

Required Components 

The regulation states that the Strategy must include: 

1. Guiding principles and objectives that inform the design and delivery of a Conservation Authority’s mandatory programs and services (s.12(4) paragraph 1). 
2. A summary of existing technical studies, monitoring programs and other information on the natural resources the authority relies on within its area of jurisdiction or in specific watersheds that directly informs and supports the delivery of the Conservation Authority’s mandatory programs and services (s.12(4) paragraph 2).
3. A review of the Conservation Authority’s mandatory programs and services for the purposes of determining if they comply with the mandatory programs and services regulation. This includes: an assessment of the effectiveness of the delivery of Category 1 programs; identifying actions and risk mitigation to address identified issues/risks that limit the effectiveness of delivery. A cost estimate for the implementation of those actions must be included (i.e., supporting Category 1, 2 and/or 3 programs to support mandatory program delivery) (s.12(4) paragraph 3, i, ii, iii). The Strategy will include both Category 2 and 3 programs and services provided by the CA, where there is an agreement with municipalities (s.12(5),12(6), 12(7)). 
4. A process for periodic review and updates to the Strategy by the CA, including procedures to consult with stakeholders and the public during these periodic reviews (s.12(4) paragraph 4).
5. Consult with stakeholders and the public during the preparation of the Strategy in a manner that the authority considers advisable.
6. Ensure the Strategy is made publicly available on their websites or by other means the authority considers advisable.