I wish to express my extreme…

I wish to express my extreme concern with the proposed changes to our Endangered Species Act which are a careless and egregious attack on the important protections on our most sensitive natural heritage values. The proposed changes purposefully put development ahead of Ontario's longstanding conservation priorities and do not represent ethical or responsible government, nor are they necessary to enhance the provincial economy. Environmental protections are intended to use a science-based approach to identify regulations and appropriate review, approval and mitigation measures to ensure our most rare and endangered species at risk are adequately protected. This proposal intentionally replaces the scientific guidance and application of the Endangered Species Act with short-sighted political manipulation to provide special treatment to the development sector. Many species at risk rely on habitats in a mix of rural and urban areas which would be significantly impacted by the proposed changes. Parts of the Endangered Species Act such as habitat regulations and government response statements provide critical details on protection and recovery actions that are needed to ensure appropriate levels of protection and transparent certainty to the public and our First Nations communities. The proposed changes are an insult to all Ontarians, who rely on our government to be responsible by ensuring we strengthen our natural heritage protections, not politically dismantle them. The proposed changes will result in significant irreversible harm to many species and habitats that have naturally established in Ontario over thousands of years. Please rescind all proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act and work to better understand the value of our species at risk and their importance to our province and its people.