I am opposed to this bill…

I am opposed to this bill and here's why:

Every turtle species in Canada is now at risk in some part of its Canadian range, including all eight of Ontario's native turtles. The Spiny Softshell and Spotted Turtle are Endangered in Ontario and Canada, the Wood Turtle is Endangered in Ontario and Threatened in Canada, Blanding's Turtle is listed at Threatened in Ontario and Endangered in Canada, and the four remaining species (Midland Painted, Snapping, Northern Map and Eastern Map Turtles are of Special Concern in Ontario and Canada. According to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre "As is the case for many species at risk, habitat destruction has played a major role in the decline of turtles. Many of the marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens that turtles once called home have been drained, filled, or otherwise altered." THEREFORE ALL REMAINING WETLANDS ARE SIGNIFICANT.

According to Ontario's Biodiversity Council, "Wetlands lie at the interface of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and as a result possess a unique mixture of species, conditions and interactions. This makes wetlands among the most dynamic, biologically diverse and productive ecosystems on the planet. Wetlands provide habitat for a diverse array of species and provide a wide variety of ecosystem services that benefit people and the environment. These include shoreline stabilization, water purification, groundwater recharge and discharge, and flood control/attenuation. Wetlands help limit greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by acting as carbon sinks and they provide many recreational opportunities. When wetlands are lost or destroyed the important ecosystem services they provide are also lost." THEREFORE ALL REMAINING WETLANDS ARE SIGNIFICANT.

Despite their important values, wetlands continue to be lost. It is estimated that up to 70% of wetlands have been destroyed or degraded in settled areas of Canada (DUC 2021). Wetlands in southern parts of Ontario have been drained for agriculture, filled for development, polluted by toxic runoff and damaged by artificial changes in water levels (Environment Canada 2010). In Southern Ontario (Mixedwood Plains area), 68% of the wetlands originally present were lost by the early 1980s (OBC 2010) and an additional 4% has been lost since this time (OBC 2015). Wetland loss has been greatest in southwestern Ontario, parts of eastern Ontario, Niagara and the Toronto area, where over 85% of the original pre-settlement wetlands have been converted to other uses. While land conversion is the primary cause of wetland loss in southern Ontario, pollution, invasive species, alteration to natural water levels and climate change also pose serious threats. THEREFORE ALL REMAINING WETLANDS ARE SIGNIFICANT.

THIS BILL IS DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY DURING A CLIMATE AND BIODIVERSITY CRISIS.