I commend the development of…

I commend the development of a bilateral conservation agreement for boreal caribou across Ontario. As both Federal and provincial governments are responsible for the protection and recovery of species at risk in Ontario, its only logical that both levels of government work together to improve outdated caribou conservation efforts.

While current conservation measures and existing actions contribute to the protection of these threatened ungulates to some degree, they are in need of a serious overhaul. Our world is changing exponentially, and our science must evolve along with it. Anthropogenic changes aside, climate change and subsequent increasing occurrences and magnitudes of natural disturbances are resulting in major landscape changes across Canada's boreal forest. Caribou habitat ranges have been constantly shifting over the last century, with their southern range boundaries continually moving north, as seen when comparing past and current caribou tracking data. Further comprehensive studies regarding the review of the science behind disturbance levels, and caribou range boundaries across Ontario, are integral to ensure conservation efforts remain current and effective across a broad array of socio-economic interests. Ensuring the collaboration of Indigenous communities and organizations, as well as stakeholders, is a critical component for the development of this agreement.

Thankfully both the federal and provincial governments recognize that the environment and economy go hand in hand, and that we can ensure the survival of boreal caribou while also guaranteeing our continued prosperity. That said, care must be taken to ensure this perspective maintains its relevance and momentum throughout the development of this bilateral conservation agreement. We must not lose sight of the imperative need to balance all factors, biological, social, and economic, as carefully as possible, in order to successfully navigate our dynamic world in this twenty first century.