As an Ontarian, I am…

As an Ontarian, I am profoundly disappointed to see our government proposing changes that are likely to have long-term impacts on so many who live here, human and otherwise. Ontario is a province of great natural beauty, and not protecting Ontario's ecosystems is short-sighted at best and dangerous at worst.

Fast-tracking things like this, and opening the door for the Ontario's government to disregard decisions made by the experts on the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario, risks prioritizing political expediency over science is deeply troubling and would leave vulnerable species and ecosystems at risk of degradation or destruction, the impacts of which we may deal with for generations. We all rely on ecosystems for our health, economy, and overall security as a province. We have a duty to preserve the wellbeing of the natural world for both the present and for the future, so future Ontarians will have a chance to relish the beauty of this province. I respect that the government wishes to have opportunities to engage more flexibly with species at risk, but I firmly believe that removing existing protections is not a good place to start. I implore the Government of Ontario to reconsider this risky, ill-considered proposal and instead support science-based policy that will actually protect Ontario's natural beauty and ecosystem services, for all Ontarians, now and in years to come.