Wetlands in southern Ontario…

Wetlands in southern Ontario have been destroyed and lost by 90% and Ontario is proposing to remove and label some of them as hazards!? This is a joke right?

Wetlands store more carbon than forests. Are we really willing to destroy what beauty is left in this country for more grid locked living? Wetlands holding invasive plants can be restored through ecological restoration practices. They can provide the services Canada needs to reach its climate goals.

We wonder why Ontario is dealing with a mental health crisis. I can guarantee you that it has a lot to do with going outside for a drive and just seeing house after house after house. We need natural areas for the health of the land but also for the mental health of us, the people.

To label a wetland as a natural hazard shows a complete disregard for Ontarios part in protecting Canadian environments for future generations. May I also remind everyone that all of Ontarios turtles are currently threatened, and as time passes more species who rely on these sensitive ecosystems are suffering. Again all it takes is more restoration efforts for the messes we created in the first place.

The answer isn’t to erase impacted wetlands completely. That will release carbon into the atmosphere, destroy habitats for migratory birds and other species that rely on these wetlands. It will also increase the risk of flooding events and will remove the benefits that these wetlands have for filtering out contaminants and cooling the land.

If I were to chose a temporary fix for the housing crisis or the protection and restoration of Ontario's wetlands for generations to come, I chose wetlands.