A local rally to protect conservation authorities.
Two dozen people stood in front of Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie's office on Friday afternoon with signs, cow bells, and flags - looking to save the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA).
At the end of October, Ontario Environment Minister Todd McCarthy announced plans to amalgamate the province's conservation authorities - including ERCA.
This change would consolidate Ontario's 36 conservation authorities into seven regional entities under Bill 68.
The minister stated that no jobs would be lost as a result of this change, however, ERCA employees worry that won't be true.
Lisa Limarzi, President of CUPE Local 3784 representing ERCA workers, says they're worried about what this will mean for local jobs, and little information has been provided.
"Amalgamating 36 separate conservation authorities into seven is most definitely going to cost somebody their job. You don't need that many receptionists, you don't need that many mapping people, you don't need that many project managers for source water protections. So, what's going to happen to those people? They're using terms like redeployment, but what does that mean?"
Limarzi says there's been no data to prove there was an issue with any of the existing conservation authorities.
"If there is a problem and this is what you're trying to do to fix it, go to the people who know... go to the experts. We are fearful of losing local expertise. We have some really flood-prone areas here in Essex County, particularly southeast Leamington, and in the Tecumseh area... our people know those areas."
Gina attended the rally to support ERCA and says she doesn't want the local conservation authority to be impacted.
"There's some concerns about how the future might look from how watersheds are approached locally, and people are here and they support our local conservation authority, and all the work that they do."
CUPE Local 3784 represents 26 employees at ERCA.
Andrew Dowie, who is the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment, did not attend the rally due to other commitments.
CUPE states they will continue to rally to make their voices heard, and to ensure the public is informed on the changes coming.
The new structure is expected to roll out between late 2026 and into 2027.
ERCA is responsible for managing natural resources and protecting the environment in the Essex region, primarily by overseeing land use development, managing floodplains, preserving wetlands, and promoting conservation efforts within their watershed area.