Conservation Halton employees are steeped in culture

Chandra Sharma describes Conservation Halton as being like a “family with a strong purpose.”

“It is a warm and welcoming environment,” says Sharma, president and CEO of the agency that manages the watershed and natural areas in Halton Region. “You see people staying for 15, 25, 30 or more years. I think that is a testament to an organization, when people want to work there for their career.

“Our employees believe in the purpose of the organization and our culture nurtures that commitment by continuously prioritizing programs and initiatives to keep generating that interest and engagement.”

This includes extending that family culture to employees’ actual families through events like an annual staff and family barbecue, annual family passes to its conservation areas, generous discounts for its Ways of the Woods camps and employee and family nights for Spooktacular Halloween and Christmas Town.

To support employee mental health and work-life balance, Conservation Halton provides benefits including access to free online mental health support and the Calm mediation app, as well as a family and employee assistance program and hybrid working arrangements.

“They prioritize staff wellness,” says Amanda Draves, nutrient management plan coordinator. “It’s really nice to work for an agency that knows that I’m here every day and I want to do my best, but that I am also a person, and I have a life outside of work. It is nice to feel supported both with my day-to-day work and then also outside.”

Another way Draves says she feels supported is in her career development, including technical and leadership training. “There is also a big culture of mentorship,” she says. “My leaders have provided me with valuable job-specific advice and mentorship which has allowed me to succeed in my current role and sets me up for future success.”

Sharma says structured and experiential learning opportunities are both important for staff development. “We have an innovation hub to advance creative thinking, to encourage staff to take a risk and not worrying about it, failing if we have to, learning from it and working together. We learn by doing and by creating projects in the hub,” she says.

Through its “CoLLab Talks”, Conservation Halton’s internal experts share learning with colleagues on topics ranging from science and parks to advancing Truth and Reconciliation. Other training opportunities include AI training, equity, diversity and inclusion sessions and a collaboration with the DeGroote School of Business for leadership training.

Conservation Halton has also introduced an artificial intelligence policy. “We’re looking at AI and how it can help us and how to use it in a safe and sound environment,” Sharma says.

Draves appreciates how the organization supports the outside community – an aspect she gets to experience in her restoration work – which includes collaborating with community members. “Conservation Halton goes above and beyond in supporting the communities we serve, protecting communities from flooding and erosion, enhancing and restoring spaces and providing opportunities for recreation,” she says.

“I am very excited about what I do. So, being able to engage with community members and watch them get excited alongside me, that’s been really special.”

This engagement is an example of Conservation Halton staff’s enthusiasm, Sharma says. “I think motivation is key to productivity and growth. And if your employees are encouraged and motivated and believe in the purpose, that’s half of the job done,” she says. “When you have excellent talent, you need to nurture that and leverage it for the best outcomes of the organization.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Hamilton-Niagara's Top Employers winners, published January 15, 2026 in Hamilton Spectator. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

At Conservation Halton, sustainability is a way of life

Conservation Halton offers such a wide range of environmental wellness programs in its southern Ontario region that Kim Barrett, the organization’s senior specialist, research and sustainability, says it’s hard to pick a favourite.

“That’s like asking me to name my favourite child,” she says with a laugh.

The Pass It On program, however, is one she’s especially enthusiastic about. Offered in partnership with local libraries, it enables community members to “check out” a Conservation Halton park pass at their library, just like they would check out a book.

“We have 400 passes available at libraries for community members to sign out so that they can access our parks at no charge,” says Barrett.

It’s a creative way of fulfilling Burlington, Ont.-based Conservation Halton’s mandate to provide opportunities for people to connect with nature at one of the authority’s eight parks in the region between Toronto and Hamilton. This mandate applies to staff too: employees and their immediate families receive a free annual membership that allows them to visit all conservation authority parks across Ontario.

“There’s a lot of research about the benefits of nature for mental health and physical health,” says Barrett.

Conservation Halton preserves, manages and enhances the environmental health of the watershed it oversees, and staff is encouraged to visit it first-hand. “Seeing what’s happening out on the landscape is good for our folks who are involved in watershed management,” says Barrett.

The conservation authority protects 10,600 acres of green space, oversees 842 water monitoring sites and monitors 39 invasive species. In 2023, Conservation Halton completed 141 restoration projects, restored 8.5 kilometres of stream and planted 130,385 trees and shrubs. In total, the conservation authority has planted more than four million trees over the past 60 years.

“We are inherently a green business,” says president and CEO Chandra Sharma. “The kind of work we do promotes sustainability and advances green jobs. We also embed sustainability in our day-to-day operations and the work we do in our own facilities.”

Several examples illustrate this point, including electric vehicle charging stations in Conservation Halton’s main parking lot and recent office renovations that included installing LED lighting.

Staff have also worked hard to reduce Conservation Halton’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Atmospheric Fund's annual emissions report for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) provides a barometer for Conservation Halton's success.

Sharma notes that employees at all levels participate in sustainability initiatives. There are staff-led tree planting days and eco challenges, such as eliminating straws and buying local. On the organization’s intranet, there’s an internal EcoChat forum where staff can share green living tips. At Conservation Halton, sustainability is a core value, strategic priority and way of life.

“People come to work for Conservation Halton because of the direct impact this organization has on the local environment, the community and their well-being,” says Sharma.

Barrett echoes this sentiment. “We have a strong emphasis on staff wellness,” she says. This is reflected in a range of benefits and perks, including free premium access to the Calm mental health app, an annual wellness fair, and free yoga and meditation sessions.

“We want our staff to be happier and healthier — this not only connects them to our mandate, but it’s good for their overall health and well-being,” says Sharma. “It’s important that we lead by example — we like to walk the talk.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Greenest Employers winners, published April 22, 2025 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.