By Michael Riley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

At their meeting on Sept. 2, Faraday Township council discussed a letter from the Crowe Valley Conservation Authority's
chair of the board of directors Michael Metcalf, regarding their work and commitment to reinforce the CVCA's relevance,
effectiveness and readiness as discussions progress regarding the upcoming consolidation into the Eastern Lake Ontario
Regional Conservation Authority. Ontario is consolidating its 36 conservation authorities into nine regional bodies by early
2027 to streamline permits and reduce administrative duplication. Overseeing the transition will be the Ontario Provincial
Conservation Agency, who'll oversee the transition, standardize digital permitting and manage centralized data.
Metcalf said that the CVCA had made significant progress since General Manager Janette Loveys Smith's interview with
Ernst and Young back in June of 2026, in strengthening operations, improving customer service, enhancing municipal
relationships, and modernizing organizational practices. He said that the guidance and support of the Otonabee Conservation
staff had been invaluable and their expertise not only accelerated organizational improvements, but has also demonstrated the
effectiveness of a shared services model that is cost-efficient, customer service focused and compliant with current legislative
requirements.
“Historically, Crowe Valley operated within a paper-based environment, with plan review and permitting files moving
between multiple staff members and resulting in lengthy processing delays. An initial review identified 92 unresolved files
dating back to 2020. Staff are actively addressing this backlog with a goal of resolving all outstanding files by the end of 2026.
Today, Crowe Valley Conservation Authority is issuing permits within five business days of receiving a complete package,” he
says.
Metcalf outlined some of the key initiatives undertaken since June 3, 2026, including; working with Otonabee Conservation to
implement a modern information management system for their plan review and permitting program, providing mandatory staff
training and professional development opportunities, introducing a new plan review and permitting online forms, municipal
plan review comment letters and significanly improved workflow processes, developing formal job descriptions for CVCA
staff positions, where previously none existed, planning transition from Microsoft 365 from a limited Office platform, planning
the migration to cloud-based financial management system, replacing an aging desktop application while enabling online
payment options and payroll for the first time, completing an external review of the Authority's fragmented IT infrastructure to
inform future technology improvements, updating the flood forecasting program to ensure compliance with provincial
guidelines, and working collaboratively with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks staff to correct and
improve Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network water data collection processes.
“In addition, the board of directors has approved the development of several new corporate policies, including a corporate
records retention policy. This foundational policy will for the first time provide staff with the authority and framework needed
to effectively manage, archive and dispose of records. Collectively these initiatives represent meaningful progress toward
building an efficient and sustainable organization. More importantly, they demonstrate the CVCA's commitment to remaining
relevant, accountable, and responsive while continuing to provide high quality service to residents and municipal partners
throughout the consolidation process and beyond. I trust you find my update helpful and I look forward to working with Alison
McDonald, the new project executive for Eastern Lake Ontario Regional Conservation Authority and the transition committee
in the coming weeks,” he says.
Mayor Dennis Purcell introduced the letter for consideration and discussion at the Sept. 2 meeting, asking Councillor John
O'Donnell, who's on the board of the CVCA to comment on Metcalf's Aug. 6 letter.
“It's just a short update on the work initiative taking place at Crowe Valley, with their amalgamation with Otonabee
Conservation and the ongoing change for slimmer and trimmer conservation authorities in Ontario from 36 down to nine. One
of our representatives on Crowe Valley, Mike Metcalf and Janette Loveys Smith have been approved for the new board. And I
think it talks to that in the letter and says they've upgraded a lot of things at the CVCA. I still haven't gotten any indication
from them but we do have a meeting coming up later this month so it'll now be referred to as the Eastern Lake Ontario
Conservation Authority, so I don't know if that means it'll be called the Eastern Lake America Conservation Authority,” he
remarked with a laugh. “Other than that that's all I have to say on the matter.”
O'Donnell said he inquired whether there was a way that Faraday could opt out of the CVCA as it was so expensive, costing
$55,000 last year alone.
He said they were trying to streamline the approvals process but he wasn't sure they were really getting their money's worth
and he was hoping that they could look further into that.
“Because neighbouring municipalities are not part of any conservation authority such as the Town of Bancroft, Hastings
Highlands. With our watershed going predominantly east to the Ottawa River, so I think it's something we should pursue as
well. The other councillors, when asked by Purcell, expressed a similar desire to see if Faraday could extricate itself from the
conservation authority and the fees that it brings with it, which they feel offers little to no value to their residents.
Bernice Crocker, the CAO, told The Bancroft Times that she felt that the discussion went well at the meeting and that
O'Donnell provided a helpful overview of the updates and changes that have taken place with the CVCA.
“It is encouraging to read that the CVCA has been making efforts to actively address the backlog, with the goal of resolving all
outstanding files by the end of 2026. It is also important to remember that the downsizing and restructuring of the Conservation
Authorities is being regulated by the province. The CVCA will ultimately become part of a fairly large regional area,” she
says. “Hopefully, the transition from the current CVCA structure to the new Eastern Lake Ontario Regional Conservation
Authority will be a smooth and successful process for all of the authorities involved.”