On April 11 council agenda there is a staff report recommending process for working with TRCA to deliver municipally requested projects and programs in the new legislative environment which we are in following Bill 23.  As posted earlier Bill 23 significantly reduced the scope of the Conservation Authorities (CA’s).  In this new environment the work which a CA does with a municipality falls into one of three categories: nonmandatory or municipally requested services, mandatory programs and services which are not permitted. The report does a good job in identifying what is in the three categories as elaborated further below. I have some questions about the process including ones about how funding will be done.

The mandatory programs are straightforward and obvious including programs and services related to the risk of natural hazards, those related to the Clean Water Act and finally management of lands owned by TR CA. The latter is certainly relevant to King given TRCA is the owner of cold Creek.

The report reviews TRCA cannot be involved with reviewing and commenting on proposals which are executed under various Acts including the Planning Act, the Environmental Assessment Act and numerous others. This prohibition is definitely one of the aspects of Bill 23 which is particularly outrageous. I will be asking for clarification as to whether proposals that were in process before January 1 2023 will be completed by TRCA or not.

And finally the report identifies how the municipality can engage with TRCA on projects where they have the expertise.  It’s also indicated that for any one of those projects we could also choose 2 ask another entity with the appropriate expertise to do the work. What is not clear to me is how we will fund this work.

The Council chambers are open to the public once again.   To make a deputation (either in person or virtually) register with the Clerk by noon Tuesday, April 11 at clerks@king.ca.  You can also email your questions or comments on same timing to clerks@king.ca and they will be circulated to Council and appropriate Staff.