Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on proposed changes to the OWES. As it stands the OWES should not be modified prior to convening a working group of all those involved in the implantation and administration of the OWES including municipalities, conservation authorities, NGO’s, Indigenous Communities, academia and government agencies.

Since industrialization, Ontario has lost the majority of wetlands due to development. Now we are at a time where we understand that wetlands are an integral part of a healthy ecosystem (and let’s not forget that humans are part of this same ecosystem and depend on it completely) amongst many things wetlands filter and purify water, sequester carbon dioxide, provide habitat for many species including species deemed at risk, attenuate flood waters, recharge and discharge groundwater and stabilize shoreline.

The proposed changes to the OWES seem to clear a pathway for wetland fragmentation and destruction. Particularly concerning is the reevaluation and removal of wetland complexing, removal of scoring for endangered and threatened species and the removal of reference to locally important wetlands. In addition changes seem to remove any oversight for the use of the tool.
Globally and locally we are in a climate crisis where effects on our communities are becoming more extreme and damaging. Now is the time to enhance and create a robust evaluation tool based on sound science and good consultation, which further advances wetland protection and preservation.