I vehemently oppose the…

I vehemently oppose the changes to species at risk protections proposed within the Species Conservation Act. The changes to habitat definitions do not align with scientific data nor the ecology of the animals this act proports to protect. These changes, as well as the removal of protections against harassment and the new permitting process, will create scenarios where species will be unable to resist expiration. Furthermore, giving the government the ability to unilaterally remove species from the at risk list, and the ability to create Special Economic Zones where regulations can be ignored, injects unhelpful politics into the discussion and undermines the process and the rule-of-law as a whole.

This whole proposal sickens me. It is the worst piece of legislation to date regarding species at risk and it puts Ontario back in the dark ages. The ESA that came into effect in 1971 offered more protection than the so-called SCA. Even the name of this Act is a joke, as there is nothing in it that promotes conservation in any form.

Repeal Bill 5 and stop destroying Ontario's natural heritage. It is baseless and unscientific and goes against the biodiversity policies that are needed to keep these species alive in our province.