I am writing to urge our…

I am writing to urge our Ontario government to not proceed with plans to scrap the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and replace it with the far weaker Species Conservation Act. After years of neglect and incremental cuts, endangered species in Ontario urgently need MORE protections, not less.

Ontario is already doing very poorly compared to other provinces and territories when it comes to preserving nature and biodiversity. Canada successfully hosted a historic “Deal for Nature” (The Kunming-Montreal Agreement) in 2022, and many provinces stepped up by committing to new protections, investing in conservation and partnering with Indigenous Peoples. In contrast, Ontario has seriously lagged behind on its provisions to protect species at risk. These proposed changes to the ESA represent the latest in a series of measures to eliminate meaningful biodiversity protections in the province.

There are many concerns about this legislation, but here are a few of the more serious ones:

1. Redefining “habitat” to just immediate dwellings like dens or nesting sites will remove protections from large areas of habitat upon which species depend for their survival. Clearly you have no knowledge regarding ecosystems, wildlife corridors etc. that are so important for species survival. Why have you not done your homework and learned about this? Or, have you purposely chosen to turn a blind-eye to the needs of wildlife out of ignorance.

2. This legislation has totally removed essential independent and science-based assessment processes.

3. Offloading responsibility for migratory birds and aquatic species to the federal government is an unprecedented abrogation of provincial responsibility and negates the essential collaboration between both levels of government.

4. Allowing developers or industry to simply register and then operate without clear conditions or binding requirements removes the province's ability to ensure sustainable operations and avoid adverse impact on endangered species.

5. Eliminating recovery strategies makes it nearly impossible to assess, mitigate and avoid harms to species.

6. The proposal to terminate the environmental assessment process for the Eagle’s Nest mine in the Ring of Fire creates the potential for developments without the consent of impacted Indigenous Peoples.

I urge you to stop this proposal and instead strengthen the ESA so that species can flourish, communities can benefit from conservation and Indigenous rights are respected. Many provinces across the country are showing how this can be done. That doesn’t mean stopping all development. It means building strong local economies that are in harmony with nature, not in conflict.

Please try to understand and open your hearts to the knowledge that healthy habitats sustain not just endangered species but all of the people of Ontario as well. Bulldozing their protections is so destructive on all levels and has zero regard for the wellbeing of future generations,