The proposed changes to…

The proposed changes to Ontario’s Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the transition to the new Species Conservation Act (SCA), represent a serious step backward for environmental protection and the health of our communities. By narrowing the definition of “habitat,” granting the government broad discretion over which species receive legal protection, and prioritizing economic and development considerations alongside, or even above, ecological ones, the new legislation threatens to undermine decades of progress in species recovery and conservation.

Ontario is home to over 240 species at risk, many of which are already facing severe pressures from habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. Strong, science-based legislation is essential to prevent further decline and extinction. Weakening habitat protection removes safeguards for critical ecosystems such as wetlands, forests, and migratory corridors, which are areas vital not only to wildlife but also to the health, resilience, and stability of our own communities.

Protecting endangered species and their habitat should not be solely seen as an obstacle to development but as an investment in our shared future. Healthy ecosystems provide clean air, water filtration, pollination, flood control, and carbon storage. Every species lost weakens these natural systems and the environmental balance we depend on. Once our local natural areas are degraded and lost, they are gone for our lifetime. We will not be able to enjoy the benefits that they freely give all Ontarians. Ontario must continue to uphold strong, science-driven laws that protect our most vulnerable species and preserve the biodiversity that sustains life across the province.

Equally concerning is the shift away from the independent, evidence-based authority of the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO). COSSARO’s independence ensures that species assessments are based on scientific data rather than political or economic influence. Undermining or bypassing this body risks decisions being made for short-term convenience instead of long-term ecological sustainability. Science must remain the foundation of conservation policy.

I fear that the short-sighted decisions of this government will cause irreparable harm to our environment and that there will be lasting damages that future generations will be left to endure and attempt to repair.

Thank you,