Lower Trent Conservation Public Notice - Fee Policy and Schedules

Notice
Opportunity for Public Comment
Proposed 2027 Fee Policy and Schedules

Background:
Lower Trent Conservation (LTC) charges fees to assist with covering the program costs for services and products that are not supported through provincial grant funding, assisting in reduction of the general levy.   The fees take into account estimated staff time, travel, and material costs to provide the service. It is imperative to charge a fee reflective of full costs associated with the service provided.

On January 1, 2023, the Conservation Authorities Act was amended by repealing 21 (1) (m.1) which related to the power of CAs to charge fees for services approved by the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry and enacting section 21.2 (1)-(12) “Fees for Programs and Services”. Subsection (1) enables the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks to determine the classes of programs and services in respect of which an authority may charge a fee and (2) requires the minister to publish a List in a policy document. The Minister published the list through the Policy: Minister’s list of classes of programs and services in respect of which conservation authorities may charge a fee (“Minister’s List”) on April 11, 2022. Conservation authorities may only charge a fee for a program or service that it provides if it is included in this List.

Effective March 10, 2026, the Province froze conservation authority Planning and Regulations fees for the year. Our Fee Policy indicates that the policy and fee schedules will be reviewed annually and if changes are proposed they must be made available for public consultation. 

The following changes are proposed.

Proposed Changes to Fee Schedules:

Schedule 1 – Planning and Regulations Fees
•    No changes proposed

Schedule 2 – General Service Fees
•    Fees for professional services have been increased slightly to reflect increased costs since the last increase in 2025. 
•    An increase in Conservation Lands fees to reflect cost increases in staff time, building maintenance and utilities. These fees have not been increased since 2023.
•    Addition of a new category for Education and Outreach Pilot Programs – staff are proposing a new set of education packages of which a few will be piloted in 2027. 

Schedule 3 – Stewardship Services Fees 
•    Fees for nursery pricing is unknown at this time. 

Deadline for Comments:
Comments must be submitted in writing to the attention of Anna Morgan at information@LTC.on.ca with Fee Policy and Schedule in the Title or by mail to:  Lower Trent Conservation, 714 Murray Street, R.R. 1, Trenton, ON K8V 0N1 no later than Wednesday November 18, 2026.

View the Lower Trent Conservation Draft Fee Policy and Schedules