People Power Works

Ongoing - Conservation Watch Program

Recognising the importance of what goes on at Conservation Authority Board Meetings citizens from Hamilton and other areas of the province have banded together to watch and report on these important and often overlooked public meetings. From this initiative we have gotten the heads up on proposals like the one to pave over the headwaters of the Ancaster Creek.

June 2021 - The Hamilton Conservation Authority Denied the Permit to Destroy the Wetland

The Hamilton community mobilized by writing over 200 emails to the HCA Board of Directors. We demanded that the Board members vote to save the Wetland by denying the developer’s permit to destroy the headwaters of one of the only coldwater creeks in the watershed. The Board went in camera for over an hour before finally emerging to announce the decision to deny ONE Properties their permit to pave. We had won!

November 2021 - No Offsetting Policy Adopted

During the summer of 2021 HCA staff were directed by Chair Lloyd Ferguson to develop an offsetting policy and put it out for public comment. Again our community spoke out sending nearly 300 detailed responses to the discussion paper, against adopting an offsetting policy. In November 2021, the HCA Board voted not to adopt a watershed-wide offsetting policy to the relief of all but Chair Ferguson who expressed his “disappointment in Staff’s recommendation” against the policy.