In this webinar you will hear an in-depth discussion of the plight of the 243 species currently listed as at risk in Ontario. The most important legal tool currently protecting our at-risk species is Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007. However, in January 2019, the Ontario government’s Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks announced that it would review the act. After assessing the government’s discussion paper about the upcoming review, the changes under consideration do not appear to be for the good of Ontario’s species. In fact, they appear to be another example of environmental deregulation. Find out what’s at stake and what you can do to help. Click here to view the Review of the Endangered Species Act Webinar.

Monarch butterfly is a species at risk listed as Special Concern in Ontario

Trouble Brewing

Under the guise of “enabling positive outcomes for species at risk” the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) is reviewing the ESA.

Allegedly responding to criticisms that the law is administratively burdensome and creates “barriers to economic development,” the government’s discussion paper is closely aligned with its broader “open-for-business” approach to governance.

Take Action
Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders are a species at risk listed as Endangered in Ontario

Deregulation

Make no mistake: the ministry is inviting the public to consider options that, if passed, would undermine the very cornerstones of the law: science-based listing that includes Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, mandatory habitat protection, and legislated timelines for planning and reporting.

Such proposals are about deregulation and making it easier for industry and development proponents to destroy the habitats of endangered plants and animals.

Lakeside daisy (Threatened)

How You Can Help

We need to remind the government that it is reviewing the Endangered Species Act, not the Endangered Business Act. The law’s purpose is to protect and recover Ontario’s most vulnerable plants and animals.

Take Action
Barn swallow (threatened)

Spread the Word

  • Become better informed by joining our webinar on February 20.
  • Contact your MPP to express your support of at-risk plants and animals.
  • Send a letter to the editor or op-ed to your local media expressing your concerns.

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SOS: Save Ontario Species






Photos: Monarch butterfly (Special Concern) © Mike Willis CC BY-ND 2.0, Allegheny Mountain dusky salamander (Endangered) © Phil Myers, Lakeside daisy (Threatened) © Ontario Nature, Barn swallow (Threatened) © Peter Ferguson, Woodland caribou (Threatened/Special Concern) © Beezart CC BY-NC-ND 2.0