This submission is in strong…

This submission is in strong opposition to the Ontario government’s proposal to eliminate legal protections for endangered and threatened species in the province.

This proposal represents a dangerous step backward for biodiversity and undermines the government's responsibility to steward Ontario’s natural heritage for current and future generations. Reducing legal protections to only the “dwelling place” or “nest” of a species disregards decades of ecological research showing that species persistence and recovery depends on access to entire functioning ecosystems; forests, wetlands, and grasslands - not isolated fragments. Native resident and migratory birds rely on ECOSYSTEMS not one-stop shops.

Relying on voluntary conservation measures and assuming federal intervention will replace provincial safeguards is an abdication of responsibility. These are unreliable and insufficient strategies that have historically failed to prevent habitat loss or species decline.

Removing legal habitat protections will accelerate the loss of species and degrade the landscapes that support both wildlife and human well-being. This does not reflect a balanced or science-based approach to conservation. Undermining habitat protections today compromises generational equity - robbing future generations of the biodiversity, clean water, and thriving ecosystems that we have a duty to protect.

This proposal MUST be withdrawn. Ontario should be a leader in conservation, not a cautionary tale. There is a responsible way to pursue development and growth - but it requires a long-term lens, accountability, and respect for the natural world and its most vulnerable species.

An alternative approach may be to incentivize conservation actions, financially support partnerships with developers and environmental/Indigenous groups, and strengthen existing legislation, rather than scrapping it altogether. That is NOT the answer.

PRESERVE and PROTECT biodiversity in Ontario.