Summary: I disagree with the…

Summary:

I disagree with the proposed changes to the Ontario Endangered Species Act that the Government of Ontario wants to push forward.

The goals of the proposal are to “improve the effectiveness of the program for species at risk by ensuring Ontario’s best-in-class endangered and threatened species protections; include advice and species’ classifications from an independent scientific committee and modern approaches to enforcement and compliance; species and habitat protections; and recovery planning”.

In contrast to these goals, the proposal is ignoring the advice of an independent scientific committee of experts. It is severely crippling enforcement and compliance. It is weakening species and habitat protections. It is delaying recovery planning. It is giving unnecessary and damaging authority to the Minister, who has no reason to veto, suspend or delay species at risk protections. In no way do the proposed changes meet the goal of the ESA.

I am disappointed in this proposal and charge Ontario to do better. In the face of the current global biodiversity crisis, we must advocate for the preservation of species at risk.