To Ontario’s Policymakers:…

To Ontario’s Policymakers:

As stewards of Ontario’s future, you hold the responsibility to protect not only the economic wellbeing of our province, but also its ecological integrity. The proposed repeal of the Endangered Species Act, 2007, in favor of the Species Conservation Act, 2025, threatens to undermine decades of progress in environmental protection.

This legislation weakens mandatory protections and hands over too much discretion to political decision-making. By allowing development to proceed through a “register-and-go” model, and by removing key prohibitions like the protection against species harassment, you risk turning science-based conservation into optional compliance.

These are not minor adjustments — they are systemic rollbacks with serious consequences:
• More species pushed toward extinction due to habitat destruction and lack of oversight.
• Reduced public accountability, as key decisions move behind closed doors.
• Increased legal ambiguity, opening the door for lawsuits and public distrust.
• Irreversible environmental damage, traded for short-term economic gain.

Economic development and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive — in fact, long-term prosperity depends on a healthy, functioning ecosystem. Ontario’s wildlife and natural landscapes are not just resources; they are irreplaceable parts of our identity.

We urge you to reconsider this proposal. Show leadership that values both progress and protection. Be remembered not for what was lost under your watch, but for what you had the courage to defend.