I am commenting with my…

I am commenting with my rejection of the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act, 2007. The Endangered Species Act recognizes the vital role of native species and the need to protect Species at Risk. The preamble of the Endangered Species Act references the precautionary principle for actions supporting the regulation of biological diversity. Through the proposed interim changes to the Endangered Species Act and the replacement with the proposed Species Conservation Act, there is a movement away from the precautionary principle, resulting in opportunities for decisions to be made without adequate information or sound scientific basis, and it is unlikely that the approaches identified in the proposal (ERO 025-0380) will successfully maintain species at risk, especially at a population level.

The proposed changes include an extremely narrow definition of "habitat" which does not consider life-cycle requirements of individuals or population-level requirements to maintain species. The definition of habitat, if modified as proposed, will not be supportive of maintaining populations of Species at risk or critical habitat features. The “Registration-first Approach” is of extreme concern as it removes all levels of review of activities by subject matter experts.

The people of Ontario do not want to sacrifice natural areas and endangered species in the name of "economic growth". There is a path forward that does not require the loss of habitat and species. Please reconsider this proposal's legislative changes, and do not make the destruction of habitat and endangered species the lasting legacy of Ontario.