Wetlands require MORE…

Wetlands require MORE protection from experts, not less. It is completely unacceptable to assign municipalities the responsibility of determining which wetlands must be destroyed for development. Expert guidance exists in the form of reference manuals and experienced professionals at MNRF and Ontario's Conservation Authorities and they need to be consulted in all cases.

In the past, wetlands were drained with little knowledge of the impacts. Now we are very aware of the negative impacts of removing wetlands, we have clear scientific proof of the ecosystem services provided by wetlands, and we have the knowledge base with which to train the next generation of expert ecologists. No government has the right to ignore scientific facts because they interfere with an anti-environment agenda. No government has the right to simplify (dumb down) the communication regarding environmental science, remove a well-established wetland evaluation tool, and disable conservation authorities so that it becomes impossible for sound decisions to be made.

Wetlands are especially valuable to mitigate the extreme rain events that are now the new normal in Ontario. Ontario's residents will enjoy far more benefits from thoughtful environmental protection than from shortsighted, poorly-planned, rushed development.

This is the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration. The goal is "preventing, halting, and reversing the degradation of ecosystems worldwide" (https://www.decadeonrestoration.org). Please note the words PREVENTING and HALTING.

In 1981, Canada became a party to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. I would like to include an excerpt from IUCN:

"The Ramsar Strategic Plan 2016–2024, adopted by the 168 Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention at their twelfth meeting in Uruguay includes targets for the restoration of wetlands, with biodiversity conservation. Given the important role that wetlands play in local and regional climate processes, including storing greenhouse gases, they represent an essential component of strategies for adaptation to, and mitigation of, climate change. They can make a significant contribution to building the resilience of communities globally.

Yet these systems continue to be degraded, annual rates of loss have actually accelerated in the last two decades. Since 1970, 81% of inland wetland species populations and 36% of coastal and marine species have declined. Over the last century we have lost 70% of our natural wetland area.

We, International Organization Partners to the Ramsar Convention would like to remind Contracting Parties to the Convention that our role is to bring these concerns to the forefront of their activities on wetland management, protection and restoration. We call for a specific programme on Wetland Restoration under the newly adopted UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030). This would help to urgently accelerate the work of countries in mobilising the Strategic Plan of the Ramsar Convention, and to act at the pace needed to deliver against the ambitious SDGs, Aichi Targets, post-2020 biodiversity framework, as well as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We must reverse the decline of natural wetlands, and one key strategy to do that is to restore wetlands and their functions as a key ally for all countries to adapt to climate change impacts, and to help store carbon." (https://www.iucn.org/news/water/201903/call-wetland-decade-under-un-dec…)

In addition, Canada has committed to the Sustainable Development Goals. The choice to destroy wetlands goes against several goals: Goal 6 - Clean water and sanitation, Goal 13 - Climate Action, Goal 14 - Life Below Water, and Goal 15 - Life on Land. Destroying wetlands to create more urban sprawl goes against Goal 3 - Good Health and Wellbeing and Goal 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities. Removing knowledgeable organizations from the decision making process goes against Goal 17 - Partnership for the Goals (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/agenda-…).

Meanwhile, Canada has committed to protect 25% of land and ocean by 2025 and 30% by 2030 to mitigate climate change and loss of biodiversity (https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2021/11/the-go…). Some of the most at-risk areas are in the most populated areas. They cannot just be considered sacrifice zones for urban sprawl and developer profits.

Ontario is part of Canada and Canada has made commitments to the global community. Bill 23 cannot be approved.