The Endangered Species Act…

The Endangered Species Act in Ontario is an attempt to protect the remaining biodiversity that we have in our province. There are many forces at work that are constantly eroding the diversity of plant and animal life. We depend on strong government policy to protect these values. I would urge the present government to strengthen this act by incorporating the four points listed below. These points were thoughtfully created by Ontario Nature, an NGO that works to protect Ontario's biodiversity. The points are based on scientific knowledge and should be considered in our revised ESA.

1. Repeal the 2013 exemptions for the forestry, hydro, mining and commercial development industries;
Amend section 57(1)1 of the ESA so that any future exemptions cannot jeopardize the recovery of endangered and threatened species;
2. Maintain mandatory habitat protection for endangered and threatened species. (The law already provides enough flexibility through habitat regulations and permitting, so there’s no need to politicize the process by adding ministerial discretion);
3. Maintain COSSARO’s current species listing process, “based on the best available scientific information, including information obtained from community knowledge and aboriginal traditional knowledge” (ESA, section 5 (3)); and
4. Require compensation that results in a direct overall benefit to affected species where harmful activities are permitted. (Do not allow proponents of harmful activities to bypass protections by simply paying into a fund.)