These changes to the…

These changes to the Endangered Species Act and the Species Conservation Act loosen environmental regulations and endanger our ecosystems. They overlook the importance of healthy and thriving ecosystems and prioritize a fast-tracking of industry projects. Endangered Species and Species Conservation is often used to extend environmental protection to important ecosystems that are worth protection in and of themselves.

I would like to remind everyone involved in this decision making process that our air quality, water systems, agriculture, and climate regulation all hang in the balance whenever environmental regulations are loosened.

My concerns are as follows:

1) "The government will have the discretion to add species or to remove species from the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List"

I am concerned that this gives the Ontario government the power to "tweak" the endangered species list to better suit their economic projects. This puts Species at Risk at a greater risk of harm and exploitation by infrastructure, mining, and other industry projects, and essentially takes away the protections offered by the SARO by turning it into a political tool.

2) "Under the new registration system, proponents will be able to get projects started as soon as they have completed their online registration, provided they are following the rules in regulation. This eliminates the step of waiting for the ministry to review and approve permits."

I am concerned that this new registration system will allow ecologically harmful projects to begin without the proper review and approval process being followed. This could cause damage to vulnerable species and ecosystems.

3) "Registration (or permits) will no longer be required for impacts to migratory birds and aquatic species protected under the federal Species at Risk Act "

I am concerned that this will allow for proponents to endanger wetland species, aquatic species and migratory birds. The Federal process for protecting these species is meant to work as a backup to the provincial process.

4) Narrowing the definition of habitat to " dwelling place, such as a den, nest or other similar place, that is occupied or habitually occupied by one or more members of a species for the purposes of breeding, rearing, staging, wintering or hibernating" and the area immediately around that dwelling place.

I am concerned that this does not take into account the broad range of area that many species need to occupy in order to survive. Wolverines cannot simply order pizza delivered to their den. They need a large area to hunt, find mates, and raise cubs. The same is true for the majority of mobile species on the SARO list. The original definition of habitat was broad because the scientific definition of habitat is. Narrowing the definition only narrows the area that can be protected, which does not benefit wildlife in any way.

Overall, I am concerned that Bill 5 as a whole will allow the provincial government to bulldoze Ontario's environmental protections and dismantle science-based species protections.