The Changing Frameworks for Watershed Governance and Management in Ontario Considering Climate Change Effects

Abstract

This paper analyses the evolution of provincial watershed governance in Ontario from the 1946 Conservation Authorities Act to the 2024 Provincial Policy Statement. Applying perspectives from historical institutionalism and Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Framework, this study examines the critical junctures, path dependence, and policy windows that defined the Ontario government’s historical approach to watershed governance and management. Twenty-six policies and laws were identified as the most significant developments in Ontario’s historical watershed governance framework, divided into five policy periods that reflect significant changes in government agendas and subsequent watershed policy direction. The analysis shows that beyond immediate environmental or health crises, the Ontario government’s approach to watershed governance is primarily dictated by shifting political agendas, rather than the constant presence of environmental pressures. The paper concludes with a call for provincial policymakers to consider the impacts of policies on Ontario’s essential watersheds as Doug Ford assumes his third term in office.