Wetlands are critical…

Wetlands are critical natural infrastructure in Ontario. Protecting them is imperative to address the serious problems of loss of biodiversity and climate change. The deep deposits of peat in bogs, fens and swamps store carbon thus preventing its release into the atmosphere. Wetlands also prevent flooding, maintain water quality and recharge groundwater. Safe homes and drinking water are crucial to the health of Ontarians.
The recent changes in Ontario’s Wetland Evaluation System will eliminate the protection of provincially significant wetlands previously ensured by your government. The ability to remove a component of a wetland complex, reclassify it and then approve it for development is short-sighted. You cannot remove a component of a natural system and expect it to function efficiently. You are in effect damaging ecologically sensitive habitats and undermining the wetland’s ability to prevent flooding and keep our drinking water safe.
Changes in the scoring system for species at risk will drastically reduce the ability to identify provincially significant wetlands (PSW). Your government has made a commitment to protecting habitats for species at risk. There will be no protection unless the boundaries of significant wetlands are accurately identified and mapped. Fewer provincially significant wetlands will result in less accurate mapping of wetland boundaries and this has serious implications for housing. Housing should not be located on a flood plain or near a wetland complex.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada has identified flooding as a serious problem and has stated that protecting natural infrastructure is a nature-based solution. Wetlands must be protected to ensure the economic and environmental sustainability of the province.
Downloading the approval of PSWs from the province to municipalities puts an additional burden on municipalities, particularly rural municipalities who may not have a planner on staff.
I implore you to rescind the recent changes made to the Wetland Evaluation System and return to system presently used.