Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the changes to the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System. I note that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests now has very little role to play in this system beyond developing the evaluation. It is not clear to me how the system is administered. Please show me where the administration of the system is spelled out.

It appears that the Conservation Authorities can no longer use the OWES in their work implementing regulations or in their work developing watershed plans or studies (p. 5)--unless of course, their role in this work has been eliminated elsewhere. If this is the case, I protest. Conservation Authorities play a vital role in protecting local ecosystems and are keepers of relevant skills and long-term knowledge.

The clauses relating to the protection of habitat for migration and reproduction of endangered species have been deleted from the scoring system. (pp. 51-52) It would seem to me that these are important considerations. Please tell me why this is the case.