Latest news with #SpeciesConservationAct
Hamilton Spectator
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Biologist warns proposed provincial changes will erode conservation efforts
For the first time in likely a century, the endangered spiny softshell turtle population increased in 2024 along the Thames River, largely due to the efforts of conservationists like Scott Gillingwater. Gillingwater, species at risk biologist for the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA), told the Times that last year the Southern Ontario at Risk Reptiles (SOARR) program hatched and released more than 10,000 native turtles into the region. To put that number into context, it's estimated that there are between 2,000 and 2,500 adults in Canada. Although that is a huge amount released locally, Gillingwater clarified that only 0.1 to five per cent will survive to maturity. The program also located, assessed, and protected dozens of endangered turtles and snakes, built new nesting, basking, foraging, and cover habitats, and installed roadside fencing to reduce reptile mortality, among other conservation efforts. Gillingwater said that the population has not reached the same level that it was at when he started at the UTRCA 32 years ago and there is much more still to do; however, recent provincial legislative changes has him worried about the prospects of native turtles and all native animals at large. On April 17, the Province of Ontario introduced the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, legislation that would 'cut the red tape and duplicative processes that have held back major infrastructure, mining and resource development projects,' according to a news release. 'The days of making proponents wait years for approvals and permits are over,' Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, said in that same release. 'We can and will build the Ontario of tomorrow in a way that protects the environment and protects jobs.' While the legislation focuses on energy and mine development, it would also make amendments to the Endangered Species Act (once touted as the 'gold standard' of conservation legislation) and eventually would repeal and replace it altogether with the Species Conservation Act. In its proposal, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks said that the Endangered Species Act makes the permit process 'slow and complex, causing unnecessary delays and costs for housing, transit, and critical infrastructure.' Chiefly, the new legislation to replace it would give the government the ability to use its own discretion to add endangered and threatened species to the protected list (and could also remove species from the list) and it would redefine protections and the habitats of animal species. No longer would the avenues species use to migrate, look for food, and winter be protected under the new act, rather only their den would be protected. 'That makes it very difficult for protection of areas where these animals are traveling to move between summer and winter sites where they're feeding,' Gillingwater said. 'And also, we are still studying these species to fully understand them, and this habitat will be lost before we can say where these animals are, where these animals need to be in five years, 10 years, 100 years, due to changes in the environment. … There're so many concerns about how this act is being currently set out. 'We once had the gold standard for species protection in Ontario and that legislation has continuously been amended and weakened and had the teeth taken out of it,' Gillingwater went on to say. '… What we need now – under the current state of our affairs, with our world, with our climate – is better species protection. And that goes for not only species at risk, but all of our wildlife and wild spaces in general. And it's quite surprising that in this day and age that we are taking steps back. We are losing decades of progress by weakening these types of legislation.' The Species Conservation Act would also create a new program to support voluntary activities that will assist in conservation and would increase investment into conservation, up to $20 million a year. As Gillingwater said, he does not believe that is commiserate to the erosion of species protections. 'We need more protection for these species, not less, not weakening of legislation, and we need more funding to do this work,' Gillingwater said. 'So that amount of funding should have been put forward without reducing protections to species at risk. Sure, additional funding is great, but if you're reducing protections you're going to need far more, tenfold more, than what is being presented.' When asked if he has hope for 2025 and beyond, Gillingwater said he has been working in the region for 32 years, since the mid-90s, and he's seen it all. Throughout that time, he has identified as either an optimistic pessimist or a pessimistic optimist. 'I will say that the pessimism it starting to creep up a little higher than my optimism,' Gillingwater said. 'I still have hope.' The consultation period for the proposed Species Conservation Act, where residents can submit a comment to the province, ends on May 17. Residents can find more information here: .
CBC
26-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
London environmentalists say Ontario's mining push puts endangered species at risk
One environmentalist points to a 2021 audit that said Ontario should do more to protect wildlife Environmentalists in London and across the province say the Ontario government's push to cut so-called red tape to speed up the development of mining and construction projects could have dire consequences for endangered species. Particularly concerning aspects of this push are moves that, according to researcher and environmental activist Brendon Samuels, weaken environmental protections in the name of short-term economic gain. "Yes, we are in the trade war, and yes, there are major economic implications. We also need to develop certain industries and housing," said Samuels, who recently completed his PhD in biology from Western University. "But, protecting the environment and protecting species from going extinct, according to the government's own legal mandate, is not contrary to any of those objectives." Premier Doug Ford's government announced Bill 5 last Thursday, promising the bill would speed up the development of mines and increase the province's ability to quickly approve other projects in the name of bolstering Ontario against economic threats from the United States. Its main function is allowing the province to designate areas of interest as "special economic zones" that enjoy quick project approvals and aren't subject to the same rules and regulations as other areas. One such zone is the Ring of Fire, a massive area in northern Ontario said to be replete with critical minerals. Ford said other big projects could receive similar designations, including his plan to build a massive transit and traffic tunnel under Highway 401. On top of allowing the designation of these special zones, the bill would repeal the Endangered Species Act, and replace it with the Species Conservation Act, which environmental groups like Ecojustice and Wilderness Committee claim weakens protections for species at risk. Neither of those moves sits right with Samuels. "We're being told that, once again, we have to remove red tape because we're in a crisis, and so that necessitates us removing protections for the environment. That's not true," Samuels said. Near the top of his list of concerns is a belief that the Species Conservation Act will be more lenient than protections currently in place, especially with how it defines an animal habitat. The new law would narrow the definition to only include the dwelling of an animal and that space's immediate vicinity. "What [that's] saying is, 'We're only going to protect this species in a tiny bubble, and that's it,' but we know from many decades of studying species at risk that they move around. It doesn't align with science," Samuels said. The change in that definition concerns Scott Gillingwater as well. Gillingwater is a species-at-risk biologist for the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. He said the work he does in the London area could be impacted by the shifting definition. He said he's sad to see the Endangered Species Act go, calling it the gold standard for conservation laws around the world. "In these areas the habitat is so important and has already been so heavily impacted. We see any future compromises as very detrimental to the species, especially here in Southwestern Ontario," Gillingwater said. One species he's particularly concerned about is the Blanding's turtle. Easily identified by its yellow throat and lower neck, it's seen its habitat shrink rapidly and oftentimes shows up in spots that prevent development under current regulations. With the changing conservation law and the creation of special economic zones, Gillingwater and Samuels both worry species like this could be even more vulnerable. Samuels said he believes the changes would create a regulatory environment that is reactive rather than proactive. "Instead of a developer wanting to do something that could affect an endangered species needing to get permission before they proceed, they could get immediate approval to do what they want," Samuels said. "Then, if there's any issues, we'll find out about that after the fact. By that point, harm will likely have already been done." Responding to a request for comment on environmental concerns surrounding Bill 5, the Ministry of the Environment issued a written statement. "Through our government's proposed Species Conservation Act, we are focusing protection efforts where they will have the most impact," the statement reads. The statement says the act will be supported by "an enhanced Species Conservation Program, which will see funding more than quadrupled to $20 million each year for on-the-ground projects that directly support efforts to conserve and protect listed species." It also claimed the government is strengthening enforcement by implementing new powers to let project sites be inspected without warrants.
Winnipeg Free Press
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ontario's new mining bill is a ‘vendetta' against species at risk: environmentalists
TORONTO – Ontario is moving to gut protections for endangered plants and animals as part of a mining bill, environmental groups say, with some calling it the most comprehensive attack on the province's at-risk species legislation in nearly two decades. The province disputes that characterization. Yet, policy advocates who reviewed the proposed legislation say the sweeping changes would erode already loosely enforced protections for more than 200 at-risk species, while giving the government greater power over scientists to decide what gets protected. 'This is really the most comprehensive undermining of the (Endangered Species Act) we've seen,' said Laura Bowman, a staff lawyer with environmental law charity Ecojustice. Last week, the province tabled an omnibus bill it says is aimed at speeding up new mining projects. As part of that bill, the government eyes immediate changes to the Endangered Species Act, which it ultimately plans to repeal and replace with a new law. The process to get a permit under the current law is 'slow and complex,' the government's proposal said, and the changes would offer a 'reasonable, balanced approach to protecting species in Ontario.' Environmentalists say there's nothing balanced about the approach. The government wants to dramatically narrow what 'habitat' means and do away with requirements to create a strategy for how to recover at-risk species. It also appears to give itself greater power over an independent science-based committee to add and remove species from a protected list. 'I don't think this is a major benefit to any industry. I think… it's just an irrational vendetta against species that some industrial players are blaming for their delays,' said Bowman. The definition of habitat would change from the entire area needed for a species to survive, to just its nest or den and the area immediately surrounding it. The changes would also strip the government of a responsibility to develop recovery strategies and management plans for at-risk species. They would also allow companies to start developing a project that could destroy habitat or kill at-risk species without first getting a permit. Instead, the government is proposing to move to a not-yet-defined 'registration-first approach' for all projects, which it says is already in place for most. Critics fear registrations will only require broad, standardized measures to mitigate impacts to at-risk species, rather than project-specific permits that require a company to show how they plan to help. 'It's very simplistic, it's not rooted in the latest science,' said Anna Baggio, conservation director of Wildlands League. 'They're not even trying to pretend anymore, nature and biodiversity is just something in the way of development.' A spokesperson for Environment, Conservation and Parks Minister Todd McCarthy said the proposed Species Conservation Act, which will replace the Endangered Species Act, will establish 'robust environmental protections by creating clear, enforceable rules for businesses to follow and strengthening the ability to enforce species conservation laws.' 'This includes creating a mandatory requirement to register their project and tough fines for non-compliance – there will be no tolerance for bad actors,' said Alex Catherwood. The Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario, also known as COSSARO, would continue to provide science-based advice on the listing of species, Catherwood said. Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said the new bill has caused him to rethink his plan to support the government's moves to help workers in the face of the U.S. trade war. 'That goodwill gets undermined when you then use it to completely dismantle vital environmental protection and Indigenous consultation and consent,' Schreiner said. 'If you're an animal or plant in Ontario, this is a pretty bad day for you, but it's a bad day for people too because healthy ecosystems are vital to human survival and to undermine that I think is just reckless, dangerous, and short sighted.' Many First Nations have come out against the proposed changes designed to speed up mining in their traditional territories, though some are in support. The mining industry supports the changes. An industry association representing Ontario homebuilders also welcomed the changes and blamed permit delays in part on what it called a process that is 'expensive, slow, and unnecessarily complicated.' The new legislation would clear up the definition of endangered species and help 'increase protections while allowing approvals for vital projects to go forward in a timely manner,' said Andres Ibarguen, a spokesman for the Ontario Home Builders Association. Between 2015 and 2021 it took on average 851 days to complete a development-related permit process, but as of August 2020 that number had come down to 256 days, the province's auditor general reported in 2021. Companies that complained to higher levels within the Environment Ministry were found to have received permits 43 per cent faster. Permits were also delayed for some conservation work and fast-tracked for some developers, the audit found. Ministry staff suggested delays to a permit to help conserve the Massasauga rattlesnake likely contributed to the species becoming locally extinct, the report said. Premier Doug Ford's government has feverishly overhauled Ontario's nature protection and oversight rules in recent years in what it suggests is a bid to speed up the construction of homes, mines, highways and other infrastructure in Ontario. Ford teed off last year when asked about curbing environmental protections to get Highway 413 built, which included shrinking protected habitat for the red side dace, a fish in the project's path. 'Let's build the damn highway,' he said. 'There's hundreds of thousands of people stuck in their cars, backed up from here to Timbuktu, and you're worried about a grasshopper jumping across the highway. We need to start building and we're going to start building, simple as that.' Ontario's endangered species law, once considered a gold standard for its automatic protection for critical habitat and science-based assessments, has been repeatedly weakened by regulations, environmental groups say. Forestry companies have been exempted from the law since it was passed, a carveout made permanent during the pandemic despite the possible risks to endangered caribou. Since 2021, developers have been allowed to pay into a conservation fund instead of taking on-site measures to protect species. That fund will now be wound down since the registration approach won't include the option to pay a fee, the government's proposal said. To date, none of the money had been spent on species protections. The government says the funds will still go toward activities 'in alignment' with species protection and conservation goals. It's also quadrupling a species conservation program to $20 million annually to support 'efforts to conserve and protect listed species,' said Catherwood, the minster's spokesperson. What protections do exist in law for at-risk species have been found to be laxly applied and enforced. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. The Environment Ministry has never turned down an application to harm a species or its habitat, the auditor general reported in 2021. Most approvals were granted automatically without review and no inspections were carried out to make sure companies followed their conditions once work started. The ministry also didn't consider the cumulative impact of permitting activities that could repeatedly harm the same species, the audit found. Blanding turtles, which have seen their numbers decline by 60 per cent over three generations largely due to habitat loss, had been impacted by more than 1,400 approvals from 2007 to 2021, the report found. Bobolink, a grassland songbird whose numbers have collapsed by 77 per cent since the 1970s, had been impacted by more than 2,000 approvals. A 2023 followup report found the government had fully implemented four of the auditor's 52 recommendations. Seventeen had seen little or no progress and 22 would not be implemented. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025.
