We must protect the Ontario…

We must protect the Ontario Endangered Species Act, which means a prioritization on conserving species at risk and the habitats they depend on through improved implementation of the Endangered Species Act in its current form. The ability of the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO) to determine the status of species, independent of government, is essential to the proper functioning of the Endangered Species Act. Habitat loss or degradation is a primary cause for species decline; therefore automatic protection, combined with clear communication on where impacts can and cannot occur, would protect species while providing certainty of what to expect for economic development. Permits allowing harm to endangered species or their habitat pose considerable risk so need to come with strict conditions. Extinction is permanent.