Phil Beard to stay on as MVCA faces uncertainty

BY SCOTT STEPHENSON

When Phil Beard of the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) announced his retirement last year, few would have argued he hadn’t earned it. Beard has devoted decades of service to the MVCA, rising through the organization to become its general manager, while also serving as secretary and treasurer.

 

Now, however, Beard has decided to put his retirement plans on hold. In light of the provincial government’s proposed changes to Ontario’s network of conservation authorities, he has chosen to remain in his role for the time being.

 

MVCA Chair Ed McGugan is not surprised by Beard’s decision to rescind his retirement. “Phil Beard knows the organization inside and out - he’s been around for so long,” McGugan said in a interview with The Citizen. “He really cares about the environment and the concept of conservation. And the people. He really cares about his people, and he has been a wonderful mentor to them.”

 

McGugan noted that Beard had planned his retirement after many years of service. “He’s well past the traditional retirement age,” he pointed out. “And now the provincial government has announced its amalgamation plans, and it’s a pretty big change. The MVCA has been around for 75 years, and this is an existential crisis. If the provincial plan goes through, the MVCA will no longer exist as an entity - it will be wrapped up into a much bigger conservation authority.”

 

Faced with that uncertainty, Beard decided he could not step away. McGugan said Beard did not want to leave the MVCA, its member municipalities or its staff during such a pivotal moment. “He didn’t want to abandon the municipality or the staff,” McGugan told The Citizen.

 

Beard’s continued presence is most welcome by the MVCA during this multifaceted crisis. A top concern is the loss of local representation that would come with amalgamation. “People in the community can talk to their local representative on the board. If you have a concern, you can come to our board meeting in Wroxeter,” McGugan explained. “If amalgamation goes ahead as it is right now, we don’t know where the board meetings will be - it might be in Newmarket!” 

 

McGugan also questions how these new mega-authorities could possibly govern themselves effectively. “There would be roughly 76 to 81 municipalities represented by that one conservation authority. How are you going to get a board with over 70 people on it?” 

 

He worries that such an unwieldy board could leave this area without strong environmental protections. “We have some of the best farmland in Canada, maybe the world, right around here. We are very productive. Extremely good farmland. And we want to keep it on the land, and not into the watercourses and into the lake,” McGugan pointed out. “The farmland stewardship work done by the MVCA is a big deal to us in the agricultural community. Down in the city, it’s not the same for them. They don’t necessarily understand our priorities. Our big concern is making sure that rural and agricultural interests are being considered.”