As an Indigenous person who…

As an Indigenous person who lives in this area, I strongly oppose this proposal.

The Ontario government’s proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) under the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025 represent a drastic shift away from safeguarding the environment, ultimately prioritizing short-term economic growth over long-term sustainability. This proposal, which promotes deregulation, weakens vital protections for endangered species, and undermines conservation efforts critical to ensuring a balanced and resilient ecosystem for future generations.

The new approach fundamentally shifts focus towards economic expediency, allowing developers to bypass thorough reviews and regulations by simply registering their activities. This opens the door for harmful activities to take place without sufficient oversight, putting species at greater risk. By reducing the need for permits, we risk accelerating habitat destruction, thereby undermining years of conservation work and the recovery of endangered species. It is essential that development projects include robust checks and balances to ensure they do not harm Ontario's unique biodiversity.

Under the proposed changes, the definition of habitat has been watered down to focus on narrow areas essential for breeding, rearing, and hibernation. This reinterpretation makes it easier for corporations to destroy critical habitats with minimal scrutiny. Habitat is much more than just a breeding ground—it is the entire ecosystem in which species live and thrive. We should be protecting the full range of habitats necessary for species to survive, not just a few core elements.

The proposal places excessive trust in a self-regulation model that lacks the enforcement power needed to hold businesses accountable for their actions. The removal of the Species at Risk Program Advisory Committee and the wind-down of the Species Conservation Action Agency significantly reduce the resources available to monitor and ensure compliance. This reduces transparency and accountability, allowing detrimental practices to go unchecked.

The proposed flexibility for the government to add or remove species from the protected list based on political motives undermines the credibility and science-based integrity of species conservation. Decisions about the conservation status of species should be based on the best available science, not political agendas that favor business interests over ecological realities.

The proposed removal of the requirement to develop recovery strategies and management plans is concerning. Conservation is about more than just protecting species, it’s about ensuring their recovery. These strategies have been crucial in guiding efforts to restore ecosystems and protect species from extinction. Removing them shifts the focus away from proactive recovery, leading to further declines in biodiversity.

Instead of dismantling our species protection laws, we should strengthen the ESA, ensuring that it continues to serve as a vital tool in the fight against species extinction.

This means:

Preserving Rigorous Environmental Reviews: Maintain a clear, science-based permitting process that ensures all development projects undergo thorough environmental assessments before proceeding. This will ensure that Ontario's rich biodiversity is not sacrificed for short-term economic gain.

Comprehensive Habitat Protection: The definition of habitat must include all areas necessary for a species’ survival—not just narrow breeding spaces. We need to protect entire ecosystems that are integral to species’ long-term viability.

Strengthening Accountability: Increase resources for compliance and enforcement to ensure that corporations and developers are held accountable for their environmental impact. Regular monitoring and scientific oversight are necessary to detect and address environmental harm before it becomes irreversible.

Long-Term Conservation Goals: Continue to develop species recovery plans and management strategies, backed by strong funding, to promote habitat restoration, sustainable land use, and long-term biodiversity health. These proactive measures are vital for species’ survival, not just for regulatory compliance.

Indigenous Community Partnerships: Engage Indigenous communities in co-developing conservation strategies and protections, ensuring that traditional ecological knowledge and modern scientific practices are integrated to improve species protection.

Instead of embracing deregulation and prioritizing short-term economic interests, we should work toward conservation-first policies that protect Ontario’s rich biodiversity for future generations.