I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed interim changes to the Endangered Species Act, 2007 and the introduction of the Species Conservation Act, 2025. These proposals represent a significant erosion of environmental protections and pose a serious threat to Ontario’s most vulnerable species and the delicate ecosystems they inhabit.

The current Endangered Species Act is one of the few legislative tools that prioritizes science-based decision-making and mandates timely action to prevent extinction. Diluting these protections—whether through delays, reduced oversight, or the broadening of ministerial discretion—undermines public trust and Ontario’s commitment to biodiversity conservation. Once a species disappears, it is gone forever. Weakening safeguards today has irreversible consequences for tomorrow.

These changes are not happening in a vacuum. They are taking place alongside increasing development pressure on green spaces and natural areas. Rather than opening the door to more development in critical habitats, the government should be doubling down on sustainable growth strategies that preserve nature and support long-term community resilience.

One such strategy is responsible intensification within municipalities. Ontario has extensive opportunities for backfilling and increasing density within already developed areas—especially in urban and suburban centres where infrastructure already exists. Encouraging in-fill development, transit-oriented communities, and the adaptive reuse of underutilized spaces aligns with housing goals without sacrificing our province’s natural heritage.

By contrast, expanding into undeveloped areas not only fragments ecosystems and destroys habitats but also leads to costly, sprawling infrastructure that strains municipal resources and undermines climate goals.

I urge the Government of Ontario to:
• Halt the proposed interim changes to the Endangered Species Act, 2007;
• Withdraw the proposed Species Conservation Act, 2025;
• Reinforce commitments to evidence-based conservation policy;
• Support municipal intensification and backfilling as a responsible alternative to environmental encroachment.

We are at a turning point. Our children and grandchildren deserve to inherit a province where wild species still roam, where wetlands still filter our water, and where old-growth forests still stand. If we trade away these irreplaceable resources for short-term gain, we lose a part of who we are—forever.

Please do not let convenience, profit, or political pressure come at the cost of extinction. Protect what cannot be replaced. Choose conservation, and choose a future where Ontario’s natural legacy still has a chance to thrive.