The timing certainly doesn't look good for the province.
As many communities prepared for spring flooding and Premier Ford filled sandbags in Bracebridge, the government has cut natural hazard transfer payments to the Conservation Authorities.
See: Flood warning remains in effect here, Bracebridge calls in the army
The North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority took a $125,000 cut, causing it to defer programs and may cancel some initiatives. Their overall budget is around $3.8 million.
Watershed planning, flood control, flood forecasting, and erosion control initiatives are funded by the provincial natural hazard transfer payment and by NBMCA’s 10 member municipalities.
“The flood forecasting and flood control initiatives we deliver are important to the people of the watershed," said Brian Tayler, CAO. "This spring’s flooding is the perfect example of why these programs are essential,”
NBMCA has cut its budget in these program areas, but to help maintain some of the essential natural hazard services, NBMCA is covering a portion of the reduction through cuts to other program areas.
“We had to put one flood risk assessment study on hold. We have also cut back and deferred other program expenditures such as the replacement of infrastructure in conservation areas,” added Tayler.
"It's one of the more important things the Authority does," Board Chairman Chris Mayne told BayToday
The organization was notified of the funding cut on April 12 by the MNRF the day after Finance Minister Vic Fedeli's provincial budget was presented in the legislature.
“There was no consultation, no notice of the funding cut. We approved our budget in March and included the $258,539 transfer payment we had received for the past 20 plus years. We have deferred some projects to manage the loss this year, however, the reduced funding creates a longer-term problem that will have to be addressed for future programs and services,” added Mayne.
“It seems a contradiction that the government’s 'Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan' identifies one of the core mandates of conservation authorities to be the protection of people, property and natural resources from the threats and impacts of extreme weather and flooding then cuts their transfer payment to us by 50 per cent.”
Mayne is confident the board can absorb the cuts without affecting staff, "but certainly some programs will have to be cancelled or cut back next year."
Part of the flood prevention strategy is monitoring the snow pack levels.
"That's an important part of it. How thick is the snow load in any given year? What is the soils ability to absorb that moisture? Its something the public doesn't pay attention to through the course of the fall and winter. Last fall we already had a lot of moisture in the ground and the ground was saturated, so here comes the spring and there is virtually no capacity for the ground to absorb a heavier than usual snow load.
"For the average person, who say lives along the shore of Lake Nipissing or the French River or some of the creeks in North Bay, having advanced notice of flood conditions so we can open up the creek allows us to improve drainage, to be able to raise the dam on Parks Creek to prevent a backflow into the Summit Drive area. Those are all things we want to do as well as have awareness beforehand so we can take preventative measures to avoid property damage."
NBMCA’s 10 member municipalities include Bonfield, Callander, Calvin Twp, Chisholm Twp, East Ferris, Mattawa, Mattawan Twp, North Bay, Papineau-Cameron Twp, and Powassan.
“NBMCA and our member municipalities have relied on this funding to deliver these essential flood management programs throughout our 2,900 sq km watershed,” added Tayler.
Conservation authorities’ programs, services, and flood control structures prevent more than $100 million a year in flood damage, according to Conservation Ontario, the organization which represents Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities.
