Ontario has protected…

Ontario has protected endangered species and their habitat since 2008. Before the enactment of the ESA (2007), only a certain list of species was protected from harm, and there was no habitat protection.
Habitat loss is the leading cause of species declines in this province, and oversimplifying to not protect species from harassment or protect their habitat needs will further compromise future generations from enjoying the benefits of Ontario's biodiversity. I do not support removing and replacing the Endangered Species Act with the Species Conservation Act. I do support additional efforts to further protect Endangered Species in Ontario, and I support further discussions on this topic concerning development planning. The development planning process is no longer based on science, but is entrenched in broad policies that take time to fulfill. From my perspective as a Science researcher and as an ecological consultant for landowners wishing to develop their lands, time delays are related to checking a list of pre-determined policy boxes and not within the ESA process. The ESA process runs parallel to the development process, and the development process could be streamlined considerably with an improved and scientific approach.