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“I request that you review and consider your own conservation authority’s activities and begin preparations and planning to wind down those activities that fall outside the scope your core mandate,” Yurek wrote.

The government funds things such as flood control, drinking water source protection, and looking after conservation lands, Wilcox said.

UTRCA also oversees initiatives in the areas of tree planting, water quality, soil erosion, planting windbreaks and outdoors education, Wilcox said. Those are paid for by grants, municipal partners and the private sector, he said.

Yurek could not be reached for a comment Monday.

“I’m worried about the Upper Thames. I’m worried about the municipality,” Wilcox said.

A government bill which has not yet become law, Bill 108, would change the way conservation authorities operate.

“We made these legislative changes to improve public transparency, consistency and accountability in conservation authority operations,” Yurek said in the letter.

Wilcox said his budget for flood control already has been slashed by 50 per cent by the Ford Tories.

If the government gets its way, “I see some smaller conservation authorities disappearing,” Wilcox said.

Yurek has been in charge of the environment portfolio since June.

danbrown@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/DanatLFPress