Mississauga, ON — The Board of Directors of Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) condemns the Government of Ontario’s proposal to replace CVC with a larger regional conservation authority, warning that the move would disrupt one of the province’s most efficient and high-performing conservation authorities.
The Board supports the province’s goals of modernizing services, reducing duplication, and accelerating housing approvals, but believes that dismantling and consolidating CVC into a regional conservation authority, will slow development and create unnecessary disruption in one of Ontario’s fastest-growing regions, resulting in less shovels in the ground and less houses being built.
“Credit Valley Conservation is already delivering exactly what the Province says it wants – efficient approvals, strong municipal coordination, and the protection of public safety,” said Michael Palleschi, Chair of the CVC Board. “We support modernization, but dismantling a high-performing authority that is already meeting provincial objectives does not advance that goal.”
CVC currently processes development permit applications in an average of approximately 14 days, far exceeding the Province’s 90-day service standard. Municipal planners, builders and applicants benefit from predictable timelines and a team of experts deeply familiar with local watershed conditions and municipal planning processes. This change will slow down service standards in Peel and Halton regions.
“In the context of Ontario’s housing crisis, the last thing we should do is disrupt a system that is already helping get homes built,” Palleschi said. “Transitioning to a new regional bureaucracy would almost certainly slow approvals while staff, systems, and governance structures are reorganized.”
Beyond housing approvals, the Board emphasized that CVC’s work protects public safety in a complex urban watershed where flood risk management requires highly specialized local expertise, including floodplain mapping, modelling, ice-jam management and real-time flood forecasting.
“Growth and safety go hand in hand,” said Alvin Tedjo, Vice Chair of the CVC board. “Local watershed knowledge allows development to move forward quickly while ensuring communities remain protected from flooding and other natural hazards.”
CVC board member and Mayor of Halton Hills, Ann Lawlor, further noted that, “In the Credit River Watershed, from Island Lake in Orangeville, through the lands of the Credit Valley Trail to Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area on the Mississauga shore of Lake Ontario, local tax dollars and donations have created beautiful conservation areas. These local parks and trails should continue to be owned and managed by the people who paid for and use them.”
The CVC Board is urging the Province to maintain CVC’s current governance structure and allow the organization to continue delivering the strong performance it is already demonstrating.
“Modernization should raise standards across the province,” Palleschi added. “But it should not dismantle and disrupt the authorities that are already proving the model works.”
CVC Board of Directors
- Tom Adams, Town of Oakville
- Dipika Damerla, City of Mississauga
- Stephen Dasko, City of Mississauga
- Michael Dehn, Town of Erin
- Christina Early, Town of Caledon
- Dennis Keenan, City of Brampton
- Ann Lawlor, Town of Halton Hills
- Andy MacIntosh, Town of Orangeville
- Brad Butt, City of Mississauga
- Fred Nix, Township of Mono
- Michael Palleschi, City of Brampton
- Alvin Tedjo, City of Mississauga
About Credit Valley Conservation
Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) is a local conservation authority established by the Ontario government in 1954 to protect, restore and enhance the natural environment of the Credit River Watershed. Our watershed is defined by the area of land where all rainfall, snowmelt and runoff drains into lands and waters flowing into the Credit River. CVC creates connections between people and nature, knowledge and action. We inspire a deep appreciation for the role of nature in keeping people connected, healthy and happy. CVC is a member of Conservation Ontario.
Media Contact
Sophia Maio
Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications
Credit Valley Conservation
M: 437-240-4801
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