I am writing regarding the…

I am writing regarding the proposed changes to species protection legislation in Ontario. While I appreciate efforts to improve conservation outcomes, several critical elements of the current Endangered Species Act must be preserved.

The established protections within the Endangered Species Act should be retained as they provide a clear approach to conserving Ontario's most at-risk birds. Any issues related to delays or lack of clarity can be addressed through process improvements rather than by weakening core protections.

At a bare minimum, legal protection for threatened and endangered birds must continue to exist for habitat on provincial crown land, just as the federal Species at Risk Act habitat protections apply to federal crown land. Provincial crown lands represent significant remaining habitats for many species, and weakening these protections would create dangerous gaps in our conservation framework.

The proposed Species Conservation Program must include incentives for habitat protection on private land, including funding for conservation easements and purchase of land by land trusts. The annual budget allocated to the new Species Conservation Program must be sufficient to make these measures meaningful and effective.

Ontario's threatened and endangered birds need plans for their survival and recovery. The proposed changes eliminate the requirement to develop recovery plans without proposing any meaningful alternative. Without recovery plans, the new Species Conservation Program will lack clear direction to set priorities, and businesses and the public will not have guidance on the most important places to protect and actions to take.

In conclusion, I strongly urge that these critical elements be addressed in any revised legislation to effectively protect Ontario's biodiversity.

Thank you for your consideration in my comments. And thank you in advance for choosing to protect Ontario's vulnerable bird populations.