Kawartha Conservation
Kawartha Conservation is a non-profit conservation authority managing a 2,563 sq km watershed of 250+ lakes and 600 km of waterways in south-central Ontario. It serves seven member municipalities and the public with permitting, flood forecasting, environmental monitoring, landowner stewardship, and five conservation areas.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersLindsay, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Kawartha Conservation does
Kawartha Conservation is a non-profit conservation authority established under Ontario's Conservation Authorities Act, serving as the legislated watershed management agency for approximately 2,563 square kilometers of south-central Ontario. The watershed contains more than 250 lakes and 600 kilometers of rivers and streams, with land cover of roughly 35% forest, 45% agricultural, and 12% wetlands. The organization delivers five owned-and-operated conservation areas (Ken Reid, Fleetwood Creek, Durham East Cross Forest, Pigeon River Headwaters, Windy Ridge), a regulatory permitting and planning program under Ontario Regulation 400/22, environmental sciences and flood forecasting services, landowner stewardship programs including the Water Fund (up to $4,000 per project), citizen science initiatives, and nature-based education including camps and professional development. It serves seven member municipalities (City of Kawartha Lakes, Durham Region, Trent Lakes, Brock, Scugog, Clarington, Cavan-Monaghan) alongside waterfront property owners, farmers, students, and the general public.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid municipal levy plus user-pay model: core funding flows from member municipalities on a recurring levy basis, while permitting fees, conservation area parking passes, stewardship and education program fees, donations via the Kawartha Conservation Foundation, and grants from the Province of Ontario (including the Great Lakes Local Action Fund) provide diversified income. The fee schedule is governed by the Conservation Authorities Act and User-Pay Principle, with separate schedules for planning, permitting, stewardship, and education services. The go-to-market motion is community-led, reaching constituents through direct public access to conservation areas, landowner consultations, educational programming, and citizen science engagement, reinforced by municipal partnerships for watershed-scale planning and flood risk services.
Technically, the organization operates flood forecasting and warning infrastructure, flood plain mapping studies (covering ten named watercourses including Jennings Creek, Burnt River, and Mariposa Brook), water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring, groundwater quality assessment, and a Stewardship Reporting Hub for tracking program outcomes. Watershed report cards are released on a five-year cadence. Strategic partnerships span Ontario Tech University, Carleton University, Finger Lakes Institute, the Province of Ontario, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, and the PaRx nature prescription program.
Kawartha Conservation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kawartha Conservation
- Legal name
- Kawartha Conservation
- Website
- https://kawarthaconservation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kawartha Conservation is a non-profit conservation authority managing a 2,563 sq km watershed of 250+ lakes and 600 km of waterways in south-central Ontario. It serves seven member municipalities and the public with permitting, flood forecasting, environmental monitoring, landowner stewardship, and five conservation areas.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kawartha Conservation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Watershed Management and Environmental Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration (BPAIABAL), Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB)
Keywords
Where Kawartha Conservation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lindsay
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kawartha Conservation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Municipal Levy: Core funding from member municipalities including City of Kawartha Lakes, Durham Region, Municipality of Trent Lakes, Township of Brock, Township of Scugog, Municipality of Clarington, and Township of Cavan-Monaghan.
- Planning and Permitting Fees: Fees charged for permit applications, pre-consultation meetings, planning services, property information requests, and sediment/erosion control reviews. Fees are governed by Ontario Regulation 400/22 of the Conservation Authorities Act and the User-Pay Principle.
- Conservation Area Access: Revenue from conservation area access including annual parking passes. PaRx prescription holders receive 25% discount on annual parking passes.
- Stewardship and Education Programs: Fees for education programs, nature camps, professional development courses, and stewardship services. Programs include tree planting, native plant sales, and landowner services.
- Donations and Grants: Donations to the Kawartha Conservation Foundation, grants from Province of Ontario, and funding partnerships for specific projects like the Great Lakes Local Action Fund.
- Water Fund Grants: Kawartha Conservation provides grants to landowners through the Water Fund program, offering up to $4,000 in funding to support environmental projects on private properties.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Conservation Area Annual Parking Pass |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Water Fund Grants |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Planning and Permitting Services |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Stewardship Programs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Kawartha Conservation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kawartha Conservation is a legislated conservation authority under Ontario's Conservation Authorities Act that manages watershed protection across 2,563 square kilometers of south-central Ontario. It delivers conservation area recreation, permit and planning review for development, environmental monitoring and flood forecasting, landowner stewardship programs, and environmental education to member municipalities, property owners, and the public. The authority regulates development in flood plains, monitors water quality across 250+ lakes and 600 km of rivers, and issues watershed report cards every five years.
Product overview
Kawartha Conservation is a conservation authority providing watershed management services across approximately 2,563 square kilometers in south-central Ontario. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including Conservation Areas for public recreation, Permits & Planning Services for development review, Environmental Sciences for monitoring and research, and Landowner Services for property stewardship. Key offerings include Flood Forecasting and Warning, Watershed Report Cards, Technical Reports, Stewardship Reporting Hub, Nature Camps and Education, PaRx nature prescription discounts, and Citizen Science programs. The services are delivered through five conservation areas (Ken Reid, Fleetwood Creek, Durham East Cross Forest, Pigeon River Headwaters, and Windy Ridge) and support over 250 lakes, 600 kilometers of rivers and streams, and waterfront property owners across member municipalities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Conservation Areas
- Permits and Planning Services
- Environmental Sciences and Watershed Monitoring
- Landowner Services and Water Fund Grants
- Flood Forecasting and Warning
- Nature Camps and Education Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- Met Ontario's permit review timelines for 12 consecutive months
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Kawartha Conservation
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Kawartha Conservation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Kawartha Conservation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ontario Tech UniversitycoreAcademic partner in the Great Lakes Local Action Fund project, providing scientific expertise for nearshore water quality monitoring and citizen science program training in collaboration with Kawartha Conservation.
- Kawartha Lake Stewards AssociationcoreLocal stakeholder partner in the Great Lakes Local Action Fund project, contributing community engagement and local knowledge to water quality monitoring efforts.
- Scugog Lake Stewards AssociationcoreLocal stakeholder partner in the Great Lakes Local Action Fund project, supporting community-based water quality monitoring in the Lake Scugog area.
- Carleton UniversitycoreAcademic partner providing research expertise for the Great Lakes Local Action Fund project, contributing to the evaluation of emerging technologies for aquatic invasive plant control.
- Finger Lakes Institute (Hobart and William Smith Colleges)coreInternational academic partner contributing expertise and research capacity to the Great Lakes Local Action Fund project for nearshore water quality enhancement.
- City of Kawartha LakescorePrimary member municipality. Collaborates on lake management planning (Lake Dalrymple 2021-2024 project), watershed monitoring, and development planning within the city's jurisdiction.
- Region of DurhamcoreKey municipal partner in the Durham Watershed Planning Project, providing watershed-based mapping information to help manage land use activities. Collaboration spans watercourse and wetland mapping, fish habitat verification, and shoreline inventory projects.
- Municipality of Trent LakescoreMember municipality in the Kawartha Conservation watershed, collaborating on climate change adaptation and regional resilience initiatives.
- Township of BrockcoreMember municipality collaborating on watershed management and climate resilience initiatives.
- Township of ScugogcoreMember municipality, particularly significant for Lake Scugog management and the Scugog Water Fund program.
- Municipality of ClaringtoncoreMember municipality in Durham Region collaborating on watershed planning and environmental protection.
- Township of Cavan-MonaghancoreMember municipality participating in watershed management and climate adaptation initiatives.
- Lake Simcoe Region Conservation AuthorityminorPartnered on Canal and Mitchell Lakes, Talbot River, and Whites Creek Subwatershed Plan, integrating cross-conservation authority watershed management.
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans CanadacoreCollaborated on Drain Classification Project and Fish Offsetting Plan for the Lake Scugog Enhancement Project, ensuring fisheries protection in watershed management.
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and ForestrycoreGovernment partner for watershed management, nonquon River fisheries management planning, and identification of significant ecological areas.
- PaRx (Canada's National Nature Prescription Program)minorHealth partnership offering 25% discount on annual parking passes for visitors with PaRx nature prescriptions, promoting health benefits of nature exposure.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights5 records
Kawartha Conservation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ducks Unlimited Canada: National nonprofit focused on wetland and waterfowl habitat conservation. Comparable in mission and watershed stewardship programming, though operating nationally and without permitting authority.
- Nature Conservancy of Canada: National land conservation nonprofit securing and managing natural areas. Comparable as a conservation nonprofit with land stewardship, science, and donor-driven funding, though operating at a national rather than watershed scale.
- Conservation Ontario: Provincial umbrella body representing all 36 Ontario conservation authorities. Relevant peer as the coordinating entity setting standards and advocating on funding and policy that directly affect Kawartha Conservation's operating environment.
Direct peers
- Credit Valley Conservation: Ontario conservation authority delivering watershed management, permitting, flood plain mapping, conservation areas, and education under the same Conservation Authorities Act. Closely comparable business model, revenue mix, and service lines to Kawartha Conservation.
- Hamilton Conservation Authority: Ontario conservation authority managing multiple conservation areas, permitting, and watershed programs. Comparable governance structure, revenue model, and service portfolio, particularly in the conservation-area and education segments.
- Grand River Conservation Authority: One of Ontario's larger conservation authorities providing permitting, flood forecasting, conservation areas, and landowner stewardship. Operates under the same legislative framework with a comparable mix of municipal levy, fees, and self-generated revenue.
- Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA): Ontario's largest conservation authority operating under the same provincial legislation. Comparable mandate (permitting, flood forecasting, conservation lands, education) at significantly greater scale, making it the closest reference point for operating model and service portfolio.
- Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority: Eastern Ontario conservation authority operating under the same Conservation Authorities Act with a comparable mix of permitting, flood forecasting, conservation lands, and stewardship programs at a similar scale to Kawartha Conservation.
- Rideau Valley Conservation Authority: Eastern Ontario conservation authority delivering watershed monitoring, permitting, and stewardship services. Highly comparable mandate, governance, and revenue structure.
- Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority: A neighboring Ontario conservation authority under the same Conservation Authorities Act framework. Directly comparable as a legislated watershed management body delivering permitting, flood forecasting, conservation areas, and stewardship services — and a confirmed active partner of Kawartha Conservation on subwatershed planning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kawartha Conservation social profiles
Digital presenceKawartha Conservation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kawartha Conservation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Kawartha Conservation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kawartha Conservation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kawartha Conservation
What does Kawartha Conservation do?
Kawartha Conservation is a legislated conservation authority under Ontario's Conservation Authorities Act that manages watershed protection across 2,563 square kilometers of south-central Ontario. It delivers conservation area recreation, permit and planning review for development, environmental monitoring and flood forecasting, landowner stewardship programs, and environmental education to member municipalities, property owners, and the public. The authority regulates development in flood plains, monitors water quality across 250+ lakes and 600 km of rivers, and issues watershed report cards every five years.
Is Kawartha Conservation a public or private company?
Kawartha Conservation is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Kawartha Conservation founded?
Kawartha Conservation was founded in 1979. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kawartha Conservation based?
Kawartha Conservation is headquartered in Lindsay, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Kawartha Conservation make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Municipal Levy is the primary driver. The others are planning and Permitting Fees, conservation Area Access, stewardship and Education Programs, donations and Grants and water Fund Grants.
Who are Kawartha Conservation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ducks Unlimited Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada and Conservation Ontario. Direct peers are Credit Valley Conservation, Hamilton Conservation Authority, Grand River Conservation Authority, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority.
Does Kawartha Conservation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kawartha Conservation.
What industry is Kawartha Conservation in?
Kawartha Conservation's product category is Watershed Management and Environmental Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAK, Water Resources & Watershed Protection, with a secondary code of BPAIABAL, State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration. Its NAICS code is 813312.