These changes are just…

These changes are just another nail in the coffin for Ontario's natural habitats, animals, and all wildlife. Extending the period before species are added to the list is totally unnecessary and allows another 9 months for developers to destroy ecosystems which contain at-risk species. Also, the status of the species in other areas and outside of Ontario should be completely irrelevant. One cannot simply bulldoze a species' home with the justification that there are more of them "elsewhere."

The Minister should not have authority to suspend newly listed species for up to THREE YEARS while they provide endless amounts of red tape and allow developments and destruction to continue unchecked. There are so many changes here that I take issue with.

Lastly, I am absolutely shocked and angered that the government wants to introduce a "Species at Risk Conservation Trust" to collect money from developers in order to circumvent what still remains of the Endangered Species Act after the rest of the changes. The potential for rampant abuse of this policy is blindingly clear to me.

We are in the midst of the greatest mass extinction in millions of years, and these changes only serve to accelerate it. I am deeply saddened for the Ontario our future generations will inherit. I can only hope comments like these will be seen and considered by all those involved in these rash decisions.