Dear, Honourable Hon…

Dear, Honourable Hon Phillips,

As a student taking part in Craig Kielburger Secondary Schools Environmental Science class It has become aware that The Ontario Endangered Species Act is changing to make acceptions for businesses to destroy the habitat of threatened or endangered species. As a place with a rich ecosystem, it should be prioritizing species protection over business activities and maintaining the current strength of the Ontario Endangered Species Act. The Ontario Endangered Species Act is one of the best acts regarding the healthy balance within our ecosystem. It has kept many of our species from extinction and even increased low populated animals due to the organized breading from people involved in the Act. If anything, COSSARO needs more funding and access to government agency biologists considering they are species at risk experts. It should be biologists who make decisions about what status a species-at-risk should have because they are the ones who are deeply knowledgeable about this subject and care more about the ecosystem and less about protection over businesses, which is what’s really needed right now. We have to make smart decisions that look further into the future in order to make sure a future is sustainable for our environment and species. Everything is connected in one way or another and upsetting the balance could cause mass destruction. The businesses won’t matter when we end up with deteriorating land and a mass extinction of animals. Habitat destruction and direct killing by people are the primary causes of species extinct. This could lead to more vital extinctions that affect us even closer. This could affect our crops and the amount of quality air. Unless an overall benefit is planned in accordance with the Act, it should not be carried through. Yes, it may be costly for the economy to reduce their activities, but money comes and goes and is a man made object. Once our ecosystem and the species within it are diminished, it is gone. It will take way longer to fix, if fixable, and have stronger repercussions than keeping up with the money needed for hydro, forestry, and other industries. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider my notion about The Ontario Endangered Species Act and why it should remain the same. It is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely, Student from Craig Keilburger Secondary School