To successfully implement…

To successfully implement the four pillars of the Ontario Government’s Forest Strategy, the government will need to rely more heavily on competent and accountable forest professionals. Competent and accountable forest professionals who are legally required to protect the public’s interest can be called to objectively evaluate different forest management strategies in a transparent manner and help implement the solutions that are approved.

The Ontario Professional Foresters Association (OPFA), as the regulator of professional forestry in Ontario, is responsible for ensuring that Ontario is served by competent and accountable forest professionals. In turn, access to competent and accountable professional foresters will ensure a vibrant forest sector.

However, the current list of excluded occupations and trades in the Professional Foresters Act makes it very difficult to govern professional forestry.

The removal of the exclusion of the trades and occupations from the Regulation will not limit the scope of these trades and occupations and so will not limit businesses, landowners and others from hiring the employees or service providers they need.

This will require updating the Professional Foresters Act, 2000 and Regulation and integrating these modifications in the changes in the Crown Forest Sustainability Act 1994 and its supporting implementation manuals.

As a Professional Forester in Ontario, I appreciate the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes and I particularly appreciate the work of the OPFA to support and maintain the quality of Ontario's professional foresters.