I strongly oppose the…

I strongly oppose the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act, 2007 and the proposal for the Species Conservation Act, 2025. It is not my responsibility as a citizen to educate the provincial government on policy matters, so this comment will be an incomplete list of my countless concerns as someone educated on these topics.

1. The Government of Ontario should not have the power to remove protected species from the COSSARO's list. Protected species must also be protected from the government.

2. Environmental assessments and develop approvals take a long time for a good reason. Assessments must be thorough in order to prioritize the wellbeing of our planet over development. It is a good thing that developers must wait until this process is over until they can begin developing.

3. There is uncertainty in defining habitats because species are not confined to specific spaces. Implementing such a strict definition will make the process easier for people to destroy species' habitats, plain and simple. The removal of the term 'harass' will have the same effect. The wellbeing of species and ecosystems is not confined to specific pieces of land - it's basic knowledge that pollution, runoff, noise, and other factors nearby can completely disrupt or destroy surrounding ecosystems. Destroying nature should not be a priority while the climate changes, biodiversity loss advances, and the most vulnerable Ontarians face the consequences.

4. "Sustainable growth", as mentioned in the proposed changes, is not the intention of this legislation nor is it going to be the result. Building more is not going to solve any problems. It will only create more problems.

5. The Endangered Species Act, 2007 should be enhanced, not decimated.

6. This quote from the proposed changes says it all: "activities that are harmful to species cannot proceed unless the person carrying out the activity has registered the activity". This completely eliminates environmental assessments and will result in the destruction of habits, loss of important species, increased pollution, poisoned waterways, biodiversity loss, increased contributions to climate change, and increased vulnerability to climate events such as extreme heat and flooding. Activities that are harmful to species would not be allowed if conservation were truly the goal here.

7. Biodiversity and plant life are integral to the health of ecosystems. The natural world that supports human life as we know it very much relies on the health of ecosystems.

8. It is incredibly irresponsible to allow developments to begin upon 'registration', without environmental assessment. This is a destruction first approach. You cannot measure the environmental impact of a development after it has already destroyed the immediate and surrounding environment. There is no accountability in this approach.

9. Promising funding for conservation and protection does not make sense when the purpose of this legislation is to bulldoze land that is and/or should be conserved and protected. There will be nothing left to protect or conserve if the government allows unchecked development.

The proposed changes and the proposed legislation strongly prioritize economic development for the wealthy at the expense of the environment and the future of Ontarians. Please do not destroy our province so that developers can line their pockets. Instead, create legislation based on science that will actually ensure a sustainable future for Ontarians.