WHEREAS in Ontario, conservation authorities develop and deliver local, watershed-based resource management programs on behalf of the province and municipalities, and are governed by the Conservation Authorities Act;
AND WHEREAS each conservation authority was established by the province at the request of municipalities within a common watershed, and these municipalities work together on local resource management, including flooding and erosion issues, and appoint each conservation authority’s membership;
AND WHEREAS the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) is governed by a Board of Directors, with each director appointed by their respective municipal council, representing the ten member municipalities: North Bay, Callander, Calvin, East Ferris, Mattawan, Powassan, Mattawa, Bonfield, Chisholm, and Papineau-Cameron;
AND WHEREAS in accordance with section C (1)(d) of the NMBCA Board of Directors’ Administrative By-law, “the administration is responsible for the day-to-day operations, the General Membership is responsible for matters of governance, ensuring compliance with applicable legislation, and ensuring appropriate policies are in place and for financial soundness of the Authority”;
AND WHEREAS in accordance with section C (1)(f) of the NMBCA Board of Directors’ Administrative By-law, “the Chief Administrative Officer/Secretary Treasurer shall manage the operations of the organization, including all employees of the Authority”;
AND WHEREAS in accordance with Appendix 1 – Code of Conduct of the NBMCA Board of Directors’ Administrative By-law, “all members, whether municipal councillors or appointed representatives of a municipality, are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on the Authority”;
AND WHEREAS beginning in April 2024, the media has been reporting on staff-management issues at the NBMCA, whereby the work environment was described as ‘very toxic’ and the Authority in ‘total chaos’, casting a negative light on the NBMCA and its Board of Directors;
AND WHEREAS after initial media reports, it became evident that there were issues at the NBMCA when the Director of Human Resources, the Chief Administrative Officer, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, among other staff, resigned from the NBMCA in April and May 2024;
AND WHEREAS in April 2025, a new Chief Administrative Officer began employment but was later escorted off NMBCA property in July 2025, which resulted in the Manager of Lands resigning, and as of today, the Chief Administrative Officer position remains vacant;
AND WHEREAS more recently, the media has been reporting on issues of alleged harassment, by Board members and staff, as well as infighting amongst Board members, resulting in the Chair being removed from the position;
AND WHEREAS the NBMCA staff have been left to manage the day-to-day operations of the Authority without a leader, reporting directly to Board members, which has resulted in a lack of service and/or delayed response for member municipalities;
AND WHEREAS Council for the Corporation of the Municipality of East Ferris is of the opinion that the current Board of Directors of the NBMCA is dysfunctional, that the Board is ill equipped to carry-out their duties in a manner that reflects positively on the Authority as stipulated in their Code of Conduct, and that the ongoing management-board issues are preventing the Authority from efficiently and effectively carrying out the Authority’s mandate under the Conservation Authorities Act;
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT Council for the Corporation of the Municipality of East Ferris requests support from all NBMCA member municipalities to replace their representative on the NBMCA Board by January 1st, 2026, so that a new Board can begin the process of getting the Authority past its current state of disorder and turmoil, and hire a Chief Administrative Officer to lead the day-to-day operations and the organization’s staff;
AND FURTHER THAT a copy of this resolution be sent to the NBMCA Board, all NBMCA member municipalities, Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli, and Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.