I’m deeply concerned about…

I’m deeply concerned about the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the shift toward the new Species Conservation Act (SCA). While I understand the desire to streamline project approvals and reduce duplication, these amendments appear to prioritize economic development over meaningful species protection.

The move to a registration-first model significantly reduces oversight and risks allowing harmful activities to proceed without sufficient review. Removing mandatory recovery strategies, weakening habitat definitions, and eliminating the term “harass” from protections all dilute the safeguards that currently help prevent species decline.

Moreover, giving the government discretion to add or remove species from the protected list — even when COSSARO has deemed them at risk — politicizes a process that should remain grounded in science. Without strong checks and balances, these changes could set a dangerous precedent.

I urge the Ministry to reconsider these reforms and ensure that any amendments to Ontario’s species at risk legislation truly reflect a commitment to conservation, not just convenience.

Best regards