The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority celebrated a couple of milestones in 2016.
General Manager Brian Horner explains in July of 1946 the Ausable River Conservation Authority became the first conservation authority in Ontario. The name was changed a few years later to the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority and this past July they celebrated their 70th birthday. Horner adds another very significant milestone was the annual Foundation Dinner reached the one million dollar mark in fund-raising at last year's dinner.
Horner says one of their goals for 2017 is to continue to work at maintaining and improving relationships with its member municipalities. He points to the update of the Shoreline Management Plan as one of their biggest projects, and says while work will continue on that he doesn't expect it to be completed until 2018.
Horner adds they haven't finalized their budget yet but at this point he doesn't expect any dramatic changes from last year.