NPCA takes Niagara’s concern over proposed changes to wetlands legislation to the province

Drastic changes to the regulatory responsibility of the province's conservation authorities will be precedent-setting and will not achieve the desired results of helping solve Ontario's housing crisis.

That was the message Chandra Sharma, the chief administrative officer of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA), delivered to the provincial government standing committee examining the legislation, known as Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act.

The most important thing we proposed were changes to the wetland evaluation system and the drastic impacts it will have specifically here in Niagara," Sharma said. We can work with the province to better define and map and protect the wetlands."

Sharma made her presentation Thursday before giving the NPCA's Friday board meeting an account of how it went.

The act is intended to help the provincial government reach its goal of building 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years by reducing bureaucratic costs and delays in construction while promoting housing construction near transit hubs and building more attainable homes.

However, Sharma said there are unintended consequences to the province's strategy.

If the proposed legislative changes end up having an extensive impact on provincially significant wetlands, Niagara stands to lose when it comes to natural cover and natural heritage.

I think we gave them enough evidence to make the right decision," Sharma said. We offered an opportunity for them to come and work with conservation authority experts and find solutions. Overall, I would say it was well accepted, and I hope the province is listening."

Currently, conservation authority experts provide comments and analysis on housing development applications in areas such as ecology, wetlands and biodiversity.

The act will restrict the conservation authorities' ability to review the environmental impact of development applications.

We all have a common interest in providing the best quality of life and affordable housing to keep the best talent in Niagara," Sharma told the committee. Conservation authorities have always been part of the solution in delivering on provincial priorities. That was one of the points I was trying to make."

NPCA board member Mal Woodhouse of Thorold wasn't nearly as conciliatory.

He told the board meeting that nobody in their right mind" thinks these lands being opened up will be available for low-incoming housing.

This is the might of developers, and you can see where the developers are, and this was all set up," Woodhouse said. You can see that this is the result of - and I don't want to say collusion because that's a strong word - but it looks like there was some advanced knowledge.

I came onto this board to protect conservation lands and the watershed. I took it very seriously for the fact that my children and grandchildren and their children need to have this protected."

Sharma said the diminished role of conservation authorities could also lead to development being located in natural hazards with higher costs in property damage, increased burdens on municipal partners and the absolute erosion" of the ecosystem-based approach to integrated watershed management.

It will be financially draining for a municipality to build that sort of expertise overnight," Sharma said. Conservation authorities have the technical expertise, many years of data, and the capability to analyze that data on a scale bigger than municipal scale."

Bill Sawchuk is a St. Catharines-based reporter with the Standard. Reach him via email: william.sawchuk@niagaradailies.com