Last week Minister of…

Last week Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark, introduced omnibus Bill 108, the More Homes, More Choice Act. This Bill affects 13 pieces of legislation including the Conservation Authorities Act, the Planning Act and the Endangered Species Act. This Bill contains just about everything developers, the aggregate industry and other industries have been seeking. Schedule 5 of Bill 108 contains the changes to the Endangered Species Act. These changes are sweeping and tantamount to having no Endangered Species Act at all. If passed the changes spell a dire future for species at risk in our province.

One of the proposed changes is that assessments of species be based not on the status of a species in Ontario, but instead on its status across its "biologically relevant geographic range." Most species now listed as threatened or endangered in Ontario, which are considered to be more stable in the US, could be delisted (e.g. during regular reassessment processes) and receive no protection as a result.
This action will do irreparable harm to wildlife and therefore human life if it is enacted and must not be passed.

Ontario Nature has compiled the list of Threatened and Endangered Species currently listed along with their global status. G4 rank means apparently secure and G5 means secure. Based on the government's proposal, it is conceivable that 74% of currently listed threatened and endangered species could be delisted and lose protection. This too will result in a seriously imbalanced ecosystem and so needs to be removed from Bill 108.

There are many more areas of concern, with both process and what is included in the proposed legislation. I urge you to consider our planet's life over dollars and act ethically instead of irresponsibly.