I am a biologist employed in…

I am a biologist employed in Ontario, and I am concerned about the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act. This act has so far been effective at protecting not only individual species, but whole communities and ecosystems, but the proposed changes all but entirely dismantle it.

The proposal claims that one of the reasons for the changes is that the current language is too vague - but if anything the proposal makes that worse. For example, it states that "The government would also have discretion to remove protected species from the list", without providing any further details on what this discretion would mean or what the process would be, which leaves it open to essentially anything. In other cases, the proposed changes specifically narrow or remove definitions that are in place to protect species. For example, redefining habitat to only include where an animal dens does not protect where it forages/hunts, mates, or migrates, which may constitute the vast majority of the animal's time. For plants, protecting the root zone is important, but that implies that above the ground is not protected, which leaves them vulnerable to activities which may damage trunks, branches, and leaves.

It is difficult to not see this proposal solely as a way for developers to avoid doing due diligence on environmental protection before breaking ground. This is not what Ontarians want, and not forward-thinking policy. Please reconsider these proposed changes.