Ontario's conservation…

Ontario's conservation policies are already shamefully inadequate. Weakening them even further is a clear step in the wrong direction that does not serve the best interests of Ontarians or the Indigenous people that share this place. I call on our elected representatives to reject these short-sighted changes.

If project planners and developers find that the existing process "is complicated, takes too long to complete, and causes unnecessary delays and costs for housing, transit, and critical infrastructure", they need to look harder at the values embedded in their proposals, not the regulations that are designed to prevent harm. Conservation policies developed in consultation with scientific experts and local communities are far more important than the self-interested opinions of frustrated land developers. Long after developers cash out, Ontario communities have to live with the consequences of their actions.

I am sympathetic to the frustration of having a permit rejected for reasons that are not understood by the applicant. This indicates a need to *increase* the level of support and funding dedicated to conservation and sustainable development in Ontario, starting with the conservation authorities. Conservation authorities are woefully underfunded, which undermines both their ability to communicate the reasons behind conservation policies, and to spend the time needed to work with applicants to find acceptable solutions.

We cannot continue on this path of unchecked suburban sprawl and destruction of our natural environment. For thousands of years, the natural world has provided everything needed to sustain human life. The same cannot be said for post-war development patterns dependent on cheap energy from rapidly vanishing sources and infinite growth and expansion.

I ask you to reject these changes to the Endangered Species Act, and focus your efforts on strengthening Ontario's commitment to protecting our natural environment and building a stronger and more sustainable future for the province.