These changes are a huge…

These changes are a huge step backwards for environmental policy in Ontario. The proposal to remove provincial mandates for assessment and recovery of at risk species, citing redundancy with federal efforts, simply does not make sense. Where the province holds jurisdictional authority over the vast majority of the land, the provincial government should be the first line of defense for at risk species. The proposal to remove these safeguards is quite obviously an attempt to prioritize short term economic development instead of working to reverse the systematic erosion of Ontario’s environment. I fully oppose these proposed policy changes. For something significant and so obviously detrimental to at risk species, the government should have struck a committee or working group that engaged in transparent debate and proactive consultation.