The ability to pay a fee to…

The ability to pay a fee to harm habitats of species at risk and/or the species themselves does not protect species at risk, even if the money goes back into helping them. If an area containing a population of a species at risk is wiped out, that population is very likely wiped out for good. Adaptation seldom happens that quickly. Even if the fee to destroy that habitat goes towards helping that species elsewhere, the fee (assuming it is not extreme) likely will not be enough to help replace the initial damage. The best thing we can do to help species at risk is to keep their habitat as abundant and pristine as possible, and many areas of this new act ignore that fact. If the Ontario government truly cares for species at risk, they will do what they can to protect them, not come up with loopholes and excuses for continually wiping them out.
Further, the authority given to one person (minister) who has no background in environmental science is ridiculous. Why does the Ontario government fund scientific environmental research projects, yet give the final decision on environmental issues to one person of limited scientific or environmental knowledge? A panel of environmental scientists who review and discuss extensive research on the subject should have that responsibility.