The Ontario Wetland…

The Ontario Wetland Evaluation System is a science-based system that outlines a process, and a set of criteria to define, identify, and assess the functions and values of wetlands in Ontario. The proposed changes remove entire sections which are integral components of the Evaluation System such as wetland complexing and recognition of the significance of habitat for Threatened and Endangered species. Removal of wetland complexing, coupled with the ability to re-evaluate individual wetland units with no apparent oversite is anticipated to result in a significant decrease in Provincially Significant Wetland area in Ontario. These changes are not based in science, but instead are politically motivated and designed to downplay the significance of wetlands on Ontario to facilitate the removal of features from the landscape. While it is recognized that the OWES did require modernization, the changes should be science-based, not politically motivated to benefit the development community. Wetlands benefit all Ontarians, and facilitating their removal is a short sighted strategy which will have negative implications for the people of Ontario for decades to come.