Replacing the Endangered…

Replacing the Endangered Species Act, 2007 with the proposed Species Conservation Act, 2025 is a huge step in the wrong direction. The protection of species and habitat , protects people. It ensures a healthy ecosystem that supports clean air, clean water, carbon sequestration, pollination services, flood resistance, erosion control and heat island mitigation. Thriving ecosystems also provide physical and emotional well being to Ontarians but also essential economic protection in the face of increasing extreme weather events. Healthy forests, wetlands and grasslands contribute to the long term stability of our communities and economy.

As someone who cares deeply about Ontario species and biodiversity I am alarmed by the proposed
narrowing of the definition of species habitat, focusing only on nests or dens and their immediate surroundings ignores the ecological reality that species depend on diverse and far reaching landscapes to survive.
The elimination of the mandatory recovery strategies abandons the goal of the current ESA: species recovery. While the proposed changes tout increased enforcement powers and penalties, stronger penalties are meaningless without strong protections to enforce. You cannot meaningfully deter harm to species if the law no longer requires meaningful protection or recovery.

I would ask the government to reconsider the proposed Special Economic Zones in that they would exempt entire regions from provincial laws and environmental safeguards. This proposed bill will remove all environmental safeguards erode democratic rights of the affected citizens to have any participation in the decision making which will be left up to a few minister and proponents and is not science based.

Environment planning and and public participation rules were instituted for a reason.
They were a reaction to the human and environmental health damage that was caused in the past by unchecked and unregulated industrial development.

As someone who cares strongly about endangered species, biodiversity, democracy and the economic growth of Ontario I ask the government to reconsider these aspects of Bill 5. I further ask the government to recognise that economic growth cannot be separated from ecological stability.