This is an extremely…

This is an extremely concerning piece of legislation being proposed. Ontario's record on endangered species protection has already been severely compromised. The Ministry has approved permits for more than 6,000 activities that would otherwise be prohibited under the ESA. The proposed changes would further undermine an already weakened system of protection.

The protections in place by the ESA not only benefit our most endangered species, but provide Ontarians with a wealth of ecosystem services. The new regulations proposed, will allow developers to proceed with activities that harm species at risk as long as they claim some form of mitigation or compensation. This creates a concerning loophole where immediate, certain harm to endangered species is permitted in exchange for promised future benefits that may never materialize or prove inadequate.