I would like to register my…

I would like to register my opposition to the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act via Bill 5.
Specifically, the notion that voluntary initiatives should be taking the place of mandated protections is ridiculous. Without rules and enforcement we know developers will NOT prioritize species or habitat protection, and the work of community volunteers cannot mitigate the damage that will be caused by industry.

Also, there is no defensible reason why the government should have or need the discretion to remove species from the endangered list. This opens the door to further corruption and to making the entire concept of species protection in Ontario nothing more than a farce.

Lastly, “Under the proposed new SCA, activities that are harmful to species cannot proceed unless the person carrying out the activity has registered the activity, or in limited situations, obtained a permit. Under the proposed new approach, instead of waiting for the ministry to approve permits, most proponents will be able to begin an activity immediately after registering.”

This approach means a person can simply register an activity that will be harmful to a species, then immediately break ground on said project without any government approvals or public awareness or input. By the time the ministry has had the time to process the registrations the damage will already be done, and you as our government are fully aware of this.