A number of species in…

A number of species in Ontario are currently at risk [1]. Birds, like the golden eagle and the barn owl, are currently endangered; as are fish, such as lake sturgeon, spotted gar and redside dace. Seven (almost all) of Ontario’s species of turtle are at risk [1, 2]. Pollinators, like bees and naturally occurring pest-control agents like lady beetles are also at risk [1]. A loss or reduction in the population size of these species could have major impacts on the quality of life for Ontarians, our livelihoods and the Province’s economy. For example,

1) Bird watching is a major hobby among Ontarians which brings people from within- and outside of the province to Ontario’s parks, trails and nature areas, especially in Southwestern Ontario [3]. This recreational activity contributes to Ontario’s economy, but it is also valuable as a means of improving morale in city communities, particularly for Ontario’s elderly population [4].

2) The agriculture industry relies on insects, such as bees, for successful pollination for crops [5]. Lady beetles are predators of aphids which are known to consume crops, making lady beetles valuable to farmers who rely on them to control crop destruction by aphids [6]. A reduction or extirpation of these insects could have devastating consequences on Ontario’s agriculture sector.

3) Revenue from Ontario’s commercial and recreational fishing industry is generated through such things as the sale of fishing licences, hunting and fishing guides and lodges, the sale of fuel for travel and boating. Not only does this industry create jobs for Ontarians, it also contributes well over a billion dollars to Ontario’s economy annually [7].

Already, in Ontario, many lakes are not as abundant with fish as they once were, and Ontarians are taking notice. While I was completing my graduate research project at Trent University on lake trout and brook trout, people in Ontario would ask me about my work and would tell me that they have noticed that lake trout are much more difficult to find nowadays. Citizens’ observations are corroborated by research. Lake trout are currently threatened by environmental stress due to climate change, and additional stressors due to industrialization can compound stress and be detrimental to lake trout. For example, lake trout are sensitive to the chemical contaminants released into aquatic systems with industrialization, such as copper, aluminum, selenium and nickel, and the presence of these contaminants are known to decrease feeding in trout and increase egg mortality [8]. Additionally, development near freshwater habitats often increases in runoff, which can lead to eutrophication, and fish species with high oxygen requirements, like salmonids, are highly susceptible to the negative effects of eutrophication (9, 10).

The proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act and Species Conservation Act make it sound like the government will develop first, then protect whatever species or habitat remain (if any) afterwards. That is not good enough. The damages to species at risk will have negative effects on Ontarians and on some of Ontario’s current industries. Species reintroductions or habitat restoration once the condition of a population or habitat has deteriorated beyond a critical threshold is difficult, time-consuming and rarely successful [11, 12]. Reintroductions and restocking programs are also expensive and will cost Ontario taxpayers millions of dollars in the attempt to reverse the damage done to wildlife populations [13].

I first learned about the proposed changes to these acts via social media, specifically the Ontario subreddit. This means that public awareness and concerns about these changes are growing. It wasn’t that long ago that the Ontario government received substantial backlash from the public when the plan to develop on the Greenbelt was announced. Current and future generations of Ontarians are already losing greenspace and the special experiences with wildlife and nature, like bird watching and fishing, that they want share with their families and friends. People want to share these experiences with their kids, much the same way they did with their parents and grandparents, and the key to saving these experiences for future generations is species protections and conservation. Changes to the species and habitat protection act increase risks to Ontario’s wildlife and to the well-being of Ontarians.

We Ontarians cherish our greenspace, and we have respect for the environment that we share with Ontario’s wildlife. We are connected to it and it is part of what makes us Ontarians. Infrastructure development and economic growth while protecting species and their habitats is achievable, but a smart approach is required. I believe the Ontario government is capable of a responsible and intelligent approach to achieving this balance, but the proposed changes to Endangered Species Act and Species Conservation Act do not reflect a thoughtful approach.

References:

[1] Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. (2024, April 19). Species at risk in Ontario. Government of Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/page/species-risk-ontario

[2] Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre. (n.d.) Our 8 Native Species Need Our Help! Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://ontarioturtle.ca/turtles/

[3] Destination Ontario. (2025, May 12). Best bird watching and birding events in Ontario. https://www.destinationontario.com/en-ca/articles/best-bird-watching-an…

[4] Engel Consulting Group in association with Kim Rollins, Lorne Johnson and Will Wistowsky (2021, July 29). Social and economic benefit study. Prepared for: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Ontario Parks, Government of Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/page/social-and-economic-benefit-study

[5] Ontario Agricultural College. (2017, September 25). Meet Ontario’s pollinators. University of Guelph. https://www.uoguelph.ca/oac/news/meet-ontarios-pollinators

[6] Government of Ontario. (n.d.). Cereal aphids. Retrieved May 16, 2025 from https://cropipm.omafra.gov.on.ca/en-ca/crops/wheat/insects-and-mites/ef…

[7] Ministry of Natural Resources. (2022, August 2). Fisheries in Ontario. Government of Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/page/fisheries-ontario

[8] Muir, D. C. G., Evans, M. S., Murphy, E. W., McGoldrick, D. J. (2021). Contaminants and Ecotoxicology. In: A. M. Muir, M. J. Hansen, C. C. Krueger, and S. C. Riley (Eds.), The Lake Charr Salvelinus namaycush: Biology, Ecology, Distribution, and Management, Fish & Fisheries Series, 39 (pp. 355-427). Switzerland: Springer Nature.

[9] Riley, S. C., Hansen, M. J., Krueger, C. C., Noakes, D. L. G, Muir, A. M. (2021) Introduction. The Lake Charr: Biology, Ecology, Distribution, and Management. In: A. M. Muir, M. J. Hansen, C. C. Krueger, and S. C. Riley (Eds.), The Lake Charr Salvelinus namaycush: Biology, Ecology, Distribution, and Management, Fish & Fisheries Series, 39 (pp. 1-12). Switzerland: Springer Nature.

[10] Marsden, J. E., Binder, T. R., Riley, S. C., Farha, S. A., Krueger, C. C. (2021). Habitat. In: A. M. Muir, M. J. Hansen, C. C. Krueger, and S. C. Riley (Eds.), The Lake Charr Salvelinus namaycush: Biology, Ecology, Distribution, and Management, Fish & Fisheries Series, 39 (pp. 167-202). Switzerland: Springer Nature.

[11] Atkinson, J., Brudvig, L. A., Mallen‐Cooper, M., Nakagawa, S., Moles, A. T., Bonser, S. P. (2022). Terrestrial ecosystem restoration increases biodiversity and reduces its variability, but not to reference levels: a global meta‐analysis. Ecology Letters, 25(7), 1725-1737.

[12] Alamenciak, T., Pomezanski, D., Shackelford, N., Murphy, S. D., Cooke, S. J., Rochefort, L., Voicescu, S., Higgs, E. (2023). Ecological restoration research in Canada: who, what, where, when, why, and how?. Facets, 8, 1-11.

[13] Ministry of Natural Resources. (2024, Decmber 16). Ontario boosting its fish populations. Government of Ontario. https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005496/ontario-boosting-its-fish-po…