Norfolk County is joining other municipalities asking the province to slow down its plans for sweeping changes to Ontario’s conservation authorities and the creation of a new provincial agency to oversee them.

Bill 68 would overhaul the current system by merging Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities into seven large regional bodies and centralizing responsibilities such as permits, watershed planning and oversight of natural hazards.

“There are too many unanswered questions on how this proposal is expected to move forward,” said Coun. Chris VanPaassen at a council meeting on Tuesday. “The timeline is that it will be all complete by Jan. 1, 2027. That gives us one year. I think there is a little bit more discussion to be had with the province.”

VanPaassen said the proposal to merge the e

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