The proposed legislation…

The proposed legislation replaces the province’s 18-year-old Endangered Species Act with a narrower Species Conservation Act. The new law prioritizes “sustainable economic growth” as a factor in decisions related to the protection of endangered species, instead of recovery and stewardship goals which were previous criteria. The new law also gives cabinet (not a committee of scientists, as was previously the case) the power to decide which animals and plants should be protected, and abolishes obligations for the government to create recovery strategies and report on them. These changes raise concerns about a lack of accountability and transparency in the execution of the new act. Scientific expertise and decision making, at arms length from elected officials, regarding designation of species to be protected must be restored.
In addition, while the stated purpose is to remove confusion, the change to the definition of habitat has become dangerously restricted. Habitat encompasses a range within which a species life cycle is supported and often involves corridors of connectivity, migration routes and waterways and is not simply the nest or root ball. Please remedy the simplistic definition of habitat that will compromise conservation and endanger species rather than protect.