I am strongly against the…

I am strongly against the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act, 2007 and the proposal for the Species Conservation Act, 2025. The redefinition of "habitat" is unscientific. It ignores the fact that animals may move large distances for feeding, breeding, or other activities.

I am against the winding down the Species at Risk Program Advisory Committee and you have provided no evidence that protections for aquatic species and migratory birds are slowing down development. Furthermore, you are abdicating responsibility for protecting those species on lands where the province has primary authority. It's also ridiculous that the government is giving itself the discretion to remove protected species from the protected species list as you continually disregard science and prioritize development at any cost. In fact, according to the Narwhal, in 2021 Ontario’s auditor general reviewed the province’s efforts to protect species at risk under the Endangered Species Act and found that the province had never denied an application to harm an at-risk species or its habitat, nor inspected the activities it authorized to ensure they were in compliance.

The proposed changes are just another iteration of the endless assault by the Ontario Conservatives on the environment, one which endangers Ontario's ecosystems, clean water, pollinators, erosion controls, and natural mitigators of climate change. According to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the Narwhal, biodiversity in southern Ontario is worth an estimated $84.4 billion per year (in 2008 dollars, or $122.5 billion dollars today, accounting for inflation). That’s the value of its provision of fresh water, nutrient cycling, carbon storage, flood control, pollination, culture, tourism and aesthetics. The Credit River watershed alone provides $371 million per year in ecosystem services and the Greenbelt provides $2.7 billion per year (in 2008 dollars, or $538.7 million and $3.9 billion today, respectively). I wonder if any of these benefits have been considered.