Town of Pelham Joins Region-Wide Call For Provincial Probe Into Conservation Authority Operations

A Brief One from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper

Posted December 20^th, 2016

Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn and his council join growing call to Ontario government for a full probe and audit of NPCA operations

Niagara, Ontario – This December 19^th, the Town of Pelham’s council  joined a growing call from Niagara municipalities, the City of Niagara Falls, Cindy Forster and other Niagara MPPs, and citizens at large for the Ontario government to initiate a full investigation and forensic audit of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.

This December 20^th, councils for the Niagara municipalities of Thorold and Welland will consider a similar call which comes in the wake of numerous concerns and questions over the NPCA’s board and management’s hiring and firing of staff, awarding of consultant contracts, land dealings and other matters many argue is compromising the body’s role as a guardian of the region’s natural heritage.

The Town of Pelham motion, supported unanimously by Mayor Dave Augustyn and his council this December 19^th, speaks for itself.

Here is the wording of the NPCA motion/resolution in its entirety – 

WHEREAS the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA), a Provincial agency operating in the Regions of Niagara and Haldimand County and in the
City of Hamilton, is funded largely by the Region of Niagara; and

WHEREAS the Town of Pelham is a contributor of public funds to the Region of
Niagara and, therefore, a contributor to the NPCA’s funding; and

WHEREAS, serious questions have been raised about the financial and human resource management of the NPCA; and

WHEREAS, serious questions have been raised about the functioning of the
NPCA in upholding its duty to fulfill the legislative mandate, as set out
for it in Section 20 of The Conservation Authorities Act, “to establish and
undertake programs designed to balance the conservation, restoration,
development and management of natural resources”; and

WHEREAS Niagara MPPs and citizens have called for a forensic audit of the
NPCA’s business practices; and

WHEREAS the people of the Town of Pelham, Region of Niagara and the Province of Ontario deserve openness and accountability as to how their tax dollars are being spent and how effectively our natural environment is being
protected;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the Town of Pelham requests that a letter be sent to Premier Kathleen Wynne and Kathryn McGarry, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Auditor General of Ontario, and with copies distributed to the NPCA, all Niagara MPPs, the Regional Municipality of Niagara, local municipalities in Niagara, Haldimand Council and the City of Hamilton, urging the Province to immediately initiate an unrestricted investigation be it a value for money and a forensic audit and an organizational and operational audit of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

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