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Governance

Welcome to the Governance page for Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA):

Introduction to ABCA Governance 

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) is an independent, corporate body in Southwestern Ontario on the southeast shores of Lake Huron. It is one of Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities with the mandate to ensure the conservation, restoration and responsible management of Ontario’s water, land and natural habitats through programs that balance human, environmental and economic needs. The ABCA is governed by the Conservation Authorities Act.

For conservation authorities, the main mode of making decisions is through the Board of Directors. The ABCA board is comprised of nine people appointed by the 12 member municipalities: Adelaide Metcalfe, Bluewater, Central Huron, Huron East, Lambton Shores, Lucan Biddulph, Middlesex Centre, North Middlesex, Perth South, South Huron, West Perth and Warwick. Under the leadership of the General Manager/Secretary-Treasurer, staff implement the programs and services in compliance with ABCA policy and relevant legislation and regulations.

The Governance section of the website includes information on the board of directors and the meetings, financial reports, municipal agreements, by-laws, policies, strategic plans, Conservation Authorities Act and associated regulations. For information on ABCA governance please use the tabs to the right or follow these links:

Board of Directors - Members

The board is comprised of nine people appointed by the 12 member municipalities. 

Here is the list of members:

Board Meetings

Currently, ABCA Board of Directors meetings are in person.

To find out about observing a Board meeting or attending a meeting as a delegation, please contact Abigail Gutteridge, Corporate Services Coordinator at 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610, extension 256, or email agutteridge@abca.ca

ABCA Board Schedule

The following is the schedule of Board of Directors meetings for the current year:

Board Agendas

The agendas for the Board of Directors meetings are posted here prior to the meeting. These documents include the meeting agenda as well as reports. 

Audited Financial Statements

The following are the most recent audited financial statements for Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority:

Fee Policy and Fee Schedule

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) Fee Policy and Fee Schedule are published on this website to meet the requirements of the Conservation Authorities Act (“The Act”). The documents provide transparency and accountability surrounding the establishment and charging of fees for programs and services.

The Conservation Authority bylaws (by-laws) are made under section 19.1 of the Conservation Authorities Act.

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) – Administration Regulations – Approved October 18, 2018 – #BD 90/18 – 1 MB (Large) PDF file

Conservation Strategy

A diverse community group of 34 contributors participated in meetings in 2010 and 2011. Their work has resulted in  The Path Forward: Your Community Conservation Strategy for Ausable Bayfield Watersheds  (download full PDF below or visit our interactive online Conservation Strategy) .

Download a letter-sized PDF of the Conservation Strategy for printing:

This plan guides the direction of this local organization's board of directors and staff. Explore the details of our Conservation Strategy by downloading the PDF file of the Conservation Strategy or clicking on the interactive online version of the community's Strategy.

Municipal Agreements

Visit the following web page:

This page lists each Memorandums/Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) or such agreement the Conservation Authority has entered into, as of December 31, 2022, with a municipality under Section 21.1.1(1) of the Conservation Authorities Act in respect of Category 2 programs and Services. (None at this time) 

This page includes a list of each MOU that the Conservation Authority has entered into, as of December 31, 2022, with a participating municipality under section 21.1.2 (2) of the Conservation Authorities Act in respect of Category 3 programs and services. (None at this time)

This page includes Risk Management Office (RMO) agreement – Pending

The ABCA is governed by the Conservation Authorities Act (CA Act) and associated regulations:

For a link to the Conservation Authorities Act (CA Act) on the Province of Ontario’s website click here:

Conservation Authorities Act – Regulations

In October, 2021, the Province of Ontario released Phase 1 regulations designed to implement amendments to the Conservation Authorities Act (CA Act).
 
The regulations give conservation authorities until January 1, 2024, to complete the transition to a new budgetary framework with their municipalities. 

These extended timelines will provide sufficient time for conservation authorities to prepare a transition plan, finalize an inventory of programs and services, and enter into Memorandums of Understanding and/or Agreements with their participating municipalities. 

The following three new regulations have been made under the Conservation Authorities Act:

Ontario Regulation 686/21: Mandatory Programs and Services: 

This regulation https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/210686 https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/210687 prescribes the mandatory programs and services conservation authorities would be required to provide, including core watershed-based resource management strategies. 

Ontario Regulation 687/21: Transition Plans and Agreements for Programs and Services Under Section 21.1.2 of the Act: 

This regulation requires each authority to have a ‘transition plan’ that would outline the steps to be taken to develop an inventory of programs and services and to enter into agreements with participating municipalities to fund non-mandatory programs and services through a municipal levy, among other things. It also establishes the transition period to enter into those agreements. 

Conservation Authorities Act Amendments – Transition Plan – Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA)

For a copy of the approved Transition Plan please download the following PDF file:

  • Transition Plan (1 MB – Large – PDF file) – Approved by ABCA Board of Directors on November 18, 2021

For the approved timeline for the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) Transition plan please download the following PDF file:

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Inventory of Programs and Services

Ontario Regulation 687/21: Transition Plans and Agreements for Programs and Services Under Section 21.1.2 of the Act requires each conservation authority to complete an inventory of programs and services. This document lists all the programs and services the authority is providing as of February 28, 2022, and intends to provide after February 28, 2022. The Regulation requires Conservation Authority activities be positioned into three categories: 

Category 1 defines the mandatory programs and services.

Category 2 activities are at the request of, or on behalf of, a municipality through a Memorandum of Understanding or other agreement.

Category 3 activities are outside the Category 1 mandatory programs and services that the Conservation Authority decides are required to conserve the watershed.

The current inventory has been developed with financial information from past years’ actuals, current budget and five-year financial forecast. This document provides very brief descriptions. 

Please refer to the 2021 ABCA Annual Report for more information on the work of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. 

This inventory will be revised through the process of entering into agreements with municipalities for Category 2 and 3 activities. 

Inquiries about the inventory may be directed to General Manager and Secretary-Treasurer Brian Horner. 

ABCA Privacy Policy

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) complies with applicable provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation. 

For specific questions about information collection, contact Brian Horner, ABCA Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Officer, at 519-235-2610 or e-mail bhorner@abca.ca

Personal Information

The ABCA is committed to protecting and preserving the privacy of any personal information you may provide when you visit our websites. Any personal information you provide to us is collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Ontario Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. 

We do not gather any personal information from you, such as your name, phone number, street or email address, unless you have chosen to share this information with us. Personal information is only obtained if you supply it voluntarily, which includes when you:

  • Send us an email or request additional information
  • Fill in a feedback form or contact form
  • Click the share button on any page
  • Participate in a poll
  • Our Receive our Newsletter services

When you subscribe, you authorize us to send you a newsletter or notice from time to time. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email. We comply with Canada’s Anti-Spam Law (CASL).

Online Services

Our websites include a number of online services including permits, tree purchases and donations. These services and the related transactions are done through SSL-encrypted technology. This means that information, including credit card payment details, is transmitted to us securely. After your transaction is complete, we do not store your credit card or other payment information.

Tracking Website Visits

When you visit our sites, the web server automatically records the following information:

  • Your IP address
  • The type of browser and operating system you use
  • The date and time you access our site
  • The pages you visit
  • How long you spend on each page

We use this information to help us make our sites more useful to visitors, and to learn about the number of visitors to our sites and the types of technology our visitors use.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to help us better understand how our websites are used. Google Analytics will save a cookie to your device but will not store, save or collect personal information. For more information, please read the Google Privacy Policy.

Governance Archives

Documents on this page more than two years old. 

Not all historic documents are on this page. 

Please contact the ABCA to inquire about other documents. 

This will include Board Minutes; Agenda; etc. older than two years.

The details provided here are for your information and in compliance with requirements (January 1, 2023) of the Conservation Authorities Act and Ontario Regulation 400/22.

This page includes the Administration Regulations which are the ABCA bylaws made under section 19.1 of the Conservation Authorities Act.

This Governance page includes links to the following pages:

  • Board of Directors – ABCA – Board Members 
    • This page includes the name of every Board member (director) of the Conservation Authority and the participating municipality that appointed that member of the Conservation Authority.
    • This page includes contact information for every member (director), including every member’s phone number and email address. 
  • Board of Directors – Agendas
    • This page includes meeting agendas for meetings of the Conservation Authority and its executive committee including attachments.
  • Board of Directors Meeting Schedule
    • This page includes the meeting schedule for the Conservation Authority for the calendar year.
  • Board of Directors – Minutes 
    • This page includes meeting minutes of meetings of the Conservation Authority and its executive committee including attachments.
  • Board of Directors – Contact information (Please visit Board of Directors members page) 
  • Municipal Agreements – Memorandums (Memoranda) of Understanding (MOUs) 
    • This page lists each Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or such agreement the Conservation Authority has entered into, as of December 31, 2022, with a municipality under Section 21.1.1(1) of the Conservation Authorities Act in respect of Category 2 programs and Services. 
    • This page includes a list of each MOU that the Conservation Authority has entered into, as of December 31, 2022, with a participating municipality under section 21.1.2 (2) of the Conservation Authorities Act in respect of Category 3 programs and services. (None at this time)
    • This page includes Risk Management Office (RMO) agreement – Pending
  • Financial
    • This page includes the annual Auditor’s Report (the most recent audited financial statements for Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA)) prepared under section 38 of the Conservation 
  • Conservation Authorities Act
    • This page includes information about the Conservation Authorities Act and ABCA compliance.
Board Documents

If these bylaws conflict with any provision of the Conservation Authorities Act, the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or a provision of a regulation made under one of those acts, the provision of those acts or regulations prevail.

ABCA Administration Regulations
Board Composition

Documents available in alternate formats upon request.

Strategic Plans

This page includes other documents, prepared by the Conservation Authority, such as a strategic plan, that, in the opinion of the Conservation Authority, is appropriate to post on the Governance section of the website referred to in section 3 (2):

Governance



  • A photo collage of the 11 winners of the Student Environmental Grant award.
    $1,000 grant for students
    Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation is offering a $1,000 Student Environmental Grant in 2023.

    2023-05-30