As someone who has been…

As someone who has been fortunate enough to enjoy nature and naturalized areas within and around my city and who also studies Anthropology and Environmental Science at the University of Toronto and works in Municipal Naturalization Stewardship, I am deeply concerned about the negative impacts these changes will have on ecosystems already under immense stress in the name of infrastructure and economic “progress.” There can be no economy if we fail to maintain healthy and stable ecosystems, which means protecting key species, their habitats, and the resources they need to survive.

These changes are not only misguided, they are embarrassing to read, especially in light of Trump’s dismantling of Protected Land and National Parks programs. Combined with the weakening of the Impact Assessment Act, the “Protecting Ontario by Unleashing the Economy Act” fundamentally misunderstands what sustainable development means. An equitable and sustainable economy cannot function without acknowledging the relationship between development and environmental integrity.

We are supposed to be moving toward a future that reflects the deep interconnection between human societies and the natural environments we depend on. So why does the Ontario Conservative government continue to ignore our reliance on stable, biodiverse ecosystems, including those that host endangered species and essential habitats?

What is the point of “streamlining development” if it’s done without regard for sustainability and our dependence on the Earth? “Protect Ontario”? For whom? What purpose is served by making it easier to destroy key ecosystems and the services they provide, other than enriching those who already hold more wealth than most Ontarians will ever see?

Protect Ontario from what, endangered species? We must instead focus on protecting the most vulnerable from powerful developers who seek to pave over land that many, humans and wildlife alike, rely on. If we bury our province in concrete, what exactly are we protecting? Parking lots?

The Ontario government seems more invested in preserving the privileges and status quo of wealthy developers and political elites than in protecting the province and its human and non-human citizens and lands.