Tag Archives: Ministry of Natural Resources

07.11.26
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‘We do not require conservation authorities to protect, preserve, and conserve what we need to environmentally in the province’ – Leith Coghlin, EnPointe Public Affairs

Shortly after posting last week’s column, the following comment appeared on the City Scope Facebook page.
“That and they are unmeasured, anti-democratic, and fail in their original mandates. 63 subnational jurisdictions in North America, every one of them, save Ontario, get by without conservation authorities.
“And several have far better conservation outcomes that are actually measured, monitored, and reported upon.”
The comment was posted by Leith Coghlin, a St. Thomas resident who is Managing Director of EnPointe Public Affairs, a London-based advocacy and public policy analysis firm.
Coghlin released a response to Conservation Ontario’s comments in November, 2020 regarding proposed changes to conservation authorities.
Last week, we spoke with Morgaine Griffin, chair of the Catfish Creek Conservation Authority, on the province’s plan to consolidate the existing 36 conservation authorities into 9 regional bodies. You can read that item here.

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06.21.25
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Future tourism signage: Come and enjoy the sun, sand and surf at the County of Elgin’s smoke-free beaches

With the blistering hot weather steamrolling into southwestern Ontario this weekend, Lake Erie beaches likely will prove a popular destination to seek relief from the heat and humidity.
However, is that quality outdoor time sprawled on a beach towel atop the sand negatively impacted by a blue haze of cigarette smoke wafting in the breeze?
The Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA) prohibits smoking in many public areas; however, municipal bylaws are still needed to cover the gaps in places like parks and beaches.
Many municipalities have smoke-free park bylaws, but beaches in the Southwestern Public Health region remain unregulated.
All of that could change by as early as next summer.

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06.30.18
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‘You really don’t want labour unrest,’ given Ontario’s new political climate

city_scope_logo-cmykAfter considerable negotiations, a settlement has been reached in a labour dispute involving staff at Closing the Gap in St. Thomas.
On May 2, a final offer from the employer was presented to OPSEU members who unanimously turned down the deal.
The outstanding issue remained wages, with Closing the Gap earning, on average, $165 per client visit while paying their employees $46 to $48 per visit, some of those lasting almost two hours.
Lynne Easter, staff representative at the OPSEU London Regional Office, confirmed Wednesday (June 27) “We reached a deal . . . and it was ratified by the membership on Monday (June 25).”
The deal was reached through mediation and members “voted overwhelmingly in favour. The reality is nobody wanted a strike. And, given the current political climate, under the newly elected government, public servants are fearful in terms of anyone working for a public dollar is conscientious of that. You really don’t want labour unrest.” Continue reading →