The proposed change to the…

The proposed change to the EPA is a clear attempt to favour economic growth at the expense of protection of endangered species. It is abhorrent and shortsighted. The removal of the concept of "harass" paves the way for developers to drive animals from their habitats, provided that they do it in a way that doesn't "harm" the animal, a loose definition which will certainly be interpreted to mean harm physically. Additionally, the removal of "feeding" from the definition of a habitat will allow developers to encroach further than before into the natural space, given that an animal most certainly needs to leave the immediate vicinity of its "dwelling place" in search of food. By reducing the area available to an animal to sustain itself, the result will be that the animal will choose to permanently leave its habitat in search of one able to provide the food necessary to sustain itself. Thirdly, the new requirement to merely register rather than wait to receive a permit prior to the start of work will result in significantly more instances of infraction. Yes, the culpable party may be fined, however the damage to the animals' habitat will already be done. In summary, the impact of these changes will have on endangered species in Ontario will be significant and no amount of potential economic benefit can justify it.