Protecting critical habitats…

Protecting critical habitats for endangered species should be the NUMBER ONE goal of the Ontario’s Endangered Species Act - nothing else. Do NOT water down protections for both animals and their lands, or the environment that would directly affect both. It's reckless, it's not what the people want, and it is our duty as a province to protect the wildlife we all appreciate and love so much.

Key points:

- Changes to the Endangered Species Act should improve protections, not water them down even further.

- This review won’t help species at risk if it doesn’t address exemptions that make it too easy for business and industry to do even more harm to critical habitat. Clearly defined no-go zones protect wildlife – while creating efficiencies for business by making it clear where development won’t be permitted.

- We need protections that lead to recovery for species-at-risk in Ontario– we don’t need changes that will drive more species to extinction.

*** Half of Canada’s wildlife are in decline – by a whopping 83 per cent. Provincial governments must be part of the solution.

*** Ontario is home to 243 species at risk of extinction. Already, routinely granted exemptions to the Act make it far too easy for development and industry to tear up and cut through critical habitat.