Comments submitted by the…

Comments submitted by the Round Lake Property Owner’s Association

We are pleased to provide comments to support the renewal of the Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan. As per the document Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan: Review of Program 2012 – 2022, much progress has been made and the province should be congratulated for action taken over the past 20 years.

What is your vision for the future of invasive species prevention and management in the province?
• That the province has a suite of tools (regulator, technological etc.) to prevent new invaders from entering Ontario and where prevention fails, these tools will help Ontarians control invasive species.
• That all neighboring jurisdictions work collaboratively to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species.
• That effective adaptation tools are available for species that are established in Ontario.

What opportunities are there for the future of invasive species prevention and management in Ontario?
• Preventing invasive species from arriving and thriving is the number one goal. With the Invasive Species Act, opportunities exist to continue to list species that pose a threat to our watershed.
• The Least Wanted List has been an effective tool for working with neighboring jurisdictions. Perhaps lists like this could be established by the province at a more regional level.
• The Carrier Regulation for watercraft is a very powerful regulatory tool, and opportunities exist to list other carriers in regulation. For example, the province could consider listing vehicles that entre Ontario Parks as carriers and require them to be free of plants/insects.
• We acknowledge that meeting the goal of prevention, early detection and control, Ontario needs to work with partners. Ontario has established 3 effective partnerships (ISC, Ontario Invasive Plant Council and the OFAH). Ontario should look to continue these partnerships and perhaps consider new partnerships.
• Improve communication and technology transfer on new invasive species control and prevention tools. For example British Columbia is working collaboratively with neighboring jurisdictions and partners to prevent the introduction and spread Zebra Mussels through the use of sniffer dogs. With proper training, many lake associations may be able to implement this technique to control introductions.
• New Technologies (e.g. eDNA, AI, Remote Sensing) present opportunities for early detention, prevention, and control. Ontario should continue to work with the research community and other partners to investigate new technologies.

Do you think there are barriers related to invasive species prevention and management in Ontario? How could these barriers be addressed?
• As per the province’s Best Management Practice Documents, control efforts for many invasive species need to include the application of pesticides (along with physical, and mechanical control). However, approval processes and restrictions outlined in the Pesticide Act are cumbersome and ineffective. It is suggested that MNRF open discussion with MOECC, and other partners to ensure that where necessary, pesticides can be used in accordance with the recommendations included in provincial Best Management Practice documents.
• Costs for work on prevent and control are high. As such, lack of funding is an obvious barrier to organizations such as ours. We ask the Ontario government to expand funding opportunities to enable local grassroots organizations such as ours to help Ontario prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species.
• In Ontario, the lack of robust invasive species monitoring programs presents challenges. Ontario’s ability to detect the introduction of new invasive species and track the spread of established invaders would benefit from a provincial program designed to routinely monitor land and water features for the presence of invasive species.