The provincial funds make up just a small portion of their budgets: since a major cut in 1996, conservation authorities have relied very little on the provincial transfer payments. The cuts will be difficult to absorb, said Sommer Casgrain-Robertson, general manager of the group responsible for the Rideau Valley watershed. "It's the commitment that concerns us, with regards to the work that we're doing," agreed Angela Coleman, head of the South Nation Conservation Authority. The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, for instance, has recently updated the maps for urban Ottawa, many of which hadn't been updated since the 1980s. Conservation authorities say they are still trying to figure out what those changes will mean for them.

Source: CBC News April 24, 2019 08:00 UTC