NVCA announces Interim CAO’s work plan to deliver continuous improvement

NVCA announces Interim CAO’s work plan to deliver continuous improvement

UTOPIA, Ontario (March 3, 2025) – Sheryl Flannagan, the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority’s (NVCA) Interim CAO, shared a work plan to improve operations with the NVCA Board of Directors at its recent meeting. 

The plan consists of four key priorities and commitments:

1. Strengthening Municipal Relationships; 
2. Restoring and Enforcing Customer Service Standards;
3. Improving Planning, Permitting and Engineering Processes; and
4. Developing a Strategy for Planning, Permitting and Engineering to Complete Existing Files.

“NVCA is going through a transformative time with the upcoming recruitment of a new CAO,” said Flannagan. “To ensure stability and continuity of our organization, we have implemented a focused work plan that addresses feedback from our stakeholders and member municipalities, while positioning the organization for success under new leadership.”

To date, NVCA has engaged with several municipalities to discuss development priorities and address concerns. The organization reinstated a customer service strategy that lapsed in practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, NVCA also launched a new e-permitting system, to help residents and businesses better navigate NVCA approval processes. Further, NVCA is initiating an external review to evaluate the planning, permitting and engineering processes in order to identify efficiencies and improvements.

“Conservation authorities do important work to protect people, property and our environment, but we also must ensure this work is efficient, expeditious and meets the high standards of our customers,” added Jonathan Scott, Chair of NVCA. “Our goal is to ensure concerns raised in recent months are addressed and the organization meets its commitments to our member municipalities. I am confident this plan represents a thorough approach to achieve these important goals.”

Staff at NVCA works with many partners across the Nottawasaga Watershed to avoid the loss of life and damage to property due to flooding and erosion. They restore rivers, streams, wetlands and forests, and provide environmental education opportunities to watershed residents to help them connect with our natural world and become the future stewards of our watershed. NVCA staff ensure visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience at NVCA’s 11 conservation areas, and also identify stressors that are impacting the local environment.