Replacing the ESA with the…

Replacing the ESA with the much weaker SCA is irresponsible and short sighted. At this time of ever-growing human impact on our environment, it is essential that the laws protecting vulnerable species remain strong.

If anything, as our human encroachment on species habitats increases, the number of species with legal protections should increase. Instead, these proposed changes reduce the number of protected species by almost one third. The SCA has far too many loopholes that can be exploited without public scrutiny or recourse, and giving the Minister the power to exempt projects from conservation rules at his/ her discretion is a dangerous road, open to abuse.

I understand that it is the priority of this government to "build Ontario," but to do so by weakening environmental protections is reprehensible. We must not profit by deliberately exacerbating the biodiversity crisis. The ESA is not "red tape" standing in the way of progress; it is a hard-won safe-guard to ensure our economic activities have minimal negative impact on the species we are responsible for protecting.