To whom it may concern: I am…

To whom it may concern:

I am concerned that the proposed changes to Ontario's Endangered Species Act will further accelerate the rate of decline of species-at-risk, and others as well across the province. The proposed changes provide way too many "opt out" clauses, ranging from Ministerial deadline extensions to the "option" that developers can pay into a trust in order to destroy species-at-risk habitat. One can only imagine the number of developers that will turn that option down--zero. The record globally of replacing destroyed habitat with recreated habitat is weak. We can only expect a net loss of functioning species-at-risk habitat in Ontario with the proposed changes permitting this practice.

In light of the recent United Nations report on global biodiversity that warns of an “unprecedented” decline in global biodiversity, one that has been quoted as having "alarming implications for human health, prosperity and long-term survival," it is ironic that the proposed changes to the ESA will make this province a net contributor to the destruction of essential and irreplaceable habitat and species.