I am concerned with the…

I am concerned with the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act. This act has historical and cultural significance. As an environmental consultant working on both provincial and federal lands, the provincial Endangered Species Act currently is integrated into management decisions, and removing this could have serious repercussions. If all that is required for development is registration, then there will be no thought or effort by developers regarding wildlife at risk, restoration, or mitigation. Going through the process of a permit ensures that projects are well thought out and planned with valued ecosystem components considered (i.e. water, land, air, and wildlife). Changing the definition of habitat to only include the species dwelling place or for plants their root system is not sufficient. In all the COSEWIC recovery strategy documents both the nesting and foraging habitat is considered when identifying suitable and critical habitat. In addition, the compiling of resource documents by the Ontario government is valuable for management planning. As an environmental consultant I will reference these documents for risk assessments, survey / monitoring reports, and mitigation recommendations.