London-area conservation authorities are pushing back against Queen’s Park’s proposal to fold all 36 agencies into seven mega-authorities, worrying it will hurt local decision making.

Announced in late October by Environment Minister Todd McCarthy, the province plans to create a new provincial conservation agency that will oversee the amalgamation process and the new authorities. London is currently represented by the Upper Thames River, the Lower Thames Valley, and Kettle Creek.

Under the present proposed boundaries, all three authorities plus the Catfish Creek, Essex Region, Grand River, Long Point Region, and St. Clair Region authorities would be swallowed up into a mega-agency: The Lake Erie Regional conservation authority.

Those eight conservation authorities represents 81 munici

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