It is clear from the report…

It is clear from the report entitled: "Without a Trace: Reflecting on the 10th Anniversary of Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007" published in 2018, that there are no "efficiencies for business" to be found in the Endangered Species Act. It is in fact - failing for endangered wildlife and fauna.

Is a review of the Act necessary? Absolutely. According to the David Suzuki Foundation, exemptions from the rules laid out in the Act have been granted to industry ... "from prohibitions, major delays in the development of recovery strategies for at-risk species, and a complete lack of public transparency about harmful activities occurring in at-risk species’ habitats."

The numbers do not lie. The list of endangered species in Ontario and Canada is on the rise. Any review of the Act must include a thorough examination of why this is so - and this should include an inquiry into the current management of the the Act by the MNRF. "The report identifies a problem inherent to the MNRF mandate: that it is responsible for both protecting biodiversity and “promoting economic opportunities in the resource sector.” [https://davidsuzuki.org/press/ontarios-endangered-species-act-failing-p…]

Wildlife in this province is a public trust. As a citizen of this province, I call on the Government of Ontario to fully implement the existing Act and offer native wildlife and fauna the protections they deserve as laid out by sound science. In the interest of preservation for the present time, and future generations, it is the responsibility of government to " ... prioritized the law’s fundamental purpose: the recovery of at-risk species." [Sarah McDonald of Ecojustice].

I would charge the Government of Ontario to hold and preserve wildlife and fauna recognizing that wildlife is a public trust ... and to call on business to adapt and grow within the boundaries and parameters set forth in the original Endangered Species Act.