Ontario's wetland evaluation…

Ontario's wetland evaluation and protection system is one of the ways that Ontario has balanced the importance of biodiversity, ecosystem preservation and flood mitigation among many other benefits including access to natural spaces for mental and physical wellbeing. Reducing protection on wetlands and their ecosystem and human health services is short sighted and will result in additional costs to human health and infrastructure. Building more homes on areas formerly protected as natural features will not solve the housing crisis. Ontario needs visionary leadership that is not driven by simple approaches such as reassessing land for development. This approach will continue to encourage sprawl, traffic congestion, loss of life and property due to flooding, increased insurance claims and costs among many other costly and harmful impacts to human health and well being. The Ontario government needs to be exploring ways to increase affordable, accessible housing that addresses climate mitigation, long term employment and a healthy ecosystem. Removing protection from lands already at risk is short sighted and a knee jerk response to an issue that requires a systems approach.

It is ridiculous for this government to ignore the research on wetlands and the incredible investment in protecting and creating wetlands on the landscape in Ontario. This work has been going on for decades and research continues to support the value of wetlands regardless of their size. There is a plethora of research from many disciplines that support the monetary, social and biological value of wetlands.