As a resident of Ontario who…

As a resident of Ontario who I am profoundly concerned about the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These amendments represent a significant step backward for biodiversity protection in a province that is already under intense ecological pressure.

Removing critical language, such as the term "harass", from species protections dangerously weakens the safeguards that currently exist. These terms are not incidental, they are essential to ensuring species are not subject to harmful disturbances that could threaten their survival. Their removal sends a clear message that economic expediency is being prioritized over ecological responsibility.

Allowing developments to proceed immediately upon registration, bypasses important review processes that ensure accurate and adequate information is considered. This opens the door to irreversible harm before issues or errors in registration can be addressed, essentially putting species at risk in the name of administrative efficiency.

While the federal Species at Risk Act offers some protection, it is narrowly scoped. It primarily safeguards migratory birds and aquatic species, leaving a dangerous gap in protection for terrestrial species, especially on non-federal lands, which make up the vast majority of Southern Ontario. This region is not only home to a high concentration of people and development pressures, but also to an incredibly rich array of flora and fauna. It is a biodiversity hotspot whose ecological value cannot be overstated.

Ontario’s lakes, marshes, and waterways are iconic, but the majority of our landscape is terrestrial. Gutting the ESA and weakening its regulatory power would leave countless terrestrial plant and animal species without the protection they need to survive and recover. In an era of accelerating climate change and biodiversity loss, now is the time to strengthen, not dismantle, our environmental legislation.

I urge you to reconsider these damaging changes and uphold the ESA as a critical tool for conservation in Ontario. Our future, and the future of countless species, depends on it.