I strongly oppose the…

I strongly oppose the proposed repeal of the Endangered Species Act (2007) and its replacement with the Species Conservation Act, 2025. While modernization and efficiency are important, this proposal significantly weakens protections for Ontario’s most vulnerable species.

Key concerns include:

Reduced Oversight: Allowing projects to proceed immediately upon registration, without prior review or permits, puts at-risk species and habitats in direct jeopardy. This approach prioritizes development over environmental due diligence.

Governmental Discretion on Species Listing: Transferring final authority to list or delist species from science-based committees to government discretion opens the door to political interference and undermines objective conservation science.

Weakened Habitat Protections: Narrowing the definition of "habitat" strips away essential ecological protections. Species rely not just on nesting or breeding sites, but also on migration corridors and foraging grounds—all of which may now be excluded.

Elimination of Recovery Strategies: Removing the mandatory requirement for recovery planning is short-sighted. Clear, strategic plans are critical for guiding long-term recovery and assessing conservation progress.

Ontario’s biodiversity is already under strain from climate change, pollution, and habitat loss. Diluting species protections for the sake of short-term development is an irreversible mistake that will have lasting environmental, cultural, and economic consequences.

I urge the government to reject this proposal and instead strengthen our commitment to evidence-based, enforceable, and transparent species protection laws.