Oppose new industrial exemptions to Endangered Species Act

 Ontario Nature Action Alert January 14 2013

We are very concerned about the most recent recommendation from the government to weaken protection of Ontario’s at-risk wildlife.

With your support, Ontario Nature worked hard to make sure the Endangered Species Act was passed into law. However, because of budget cuts, the Ministry of Natural Resources has recommended that industrial activities be exempt from key parts of the Act.

Please join Ontario Nature in opposing the new exemptions.  The government’s proposal has been posted for public comment on the Environmental Registry – EBR Registry # 011-7696. The deadline for public comments is January 21.

The proposed exemptions will allow industry to dodge crucial ESA protection.

Industrial activities include constructing pits and quarries, urban development, forestry, hydro, mining, infrastructure and more.

Even if conditions are imposed to qualify for an exemption, MNR has failed to provide any details on what these conditions would be. There is no indication that the current standard – that endangered species will benefit overall if development proceeds — would be upheld.

Companies that take advantage of the exemptions may not even have to register with MNR, in which case the government won’t know what is happening on the ground. Monitoring the impact on wildlife will be completely undermined.

1 Exemptions must be the exception. They should only be used in very limited situations where the level of risk and the level of complexity are low, and where the impacts of the activities are well understood and can be adequately addressed.

1. Improve implementation of the ESA. Don’t weaken the law. Keep the need to get a permit before construction or logging takes place. Permits ensure that there is OVERALL BENEFIT to the species as per the ESA. Anything less is contrary to the purpose of the ESA, which is to protect and recover endangered species.

3. Registration for an exemption must be mandatory. In rare situations where an exemption may be appropriate, the proponent must be required to register with MNR, outlining the nature of the activity, the anticipated impact, and the plan to achieve overall benefit for the species and monitor results.

4. To address budgetary issues, the government can recover the costs of permitting. Make those who will benefit from the permit pay for it.

Help us push for the protection of endangered species and their habitats. Be sure to include the EBR reference # 011-7696. Remember, the deadline to submit a comment is January 21.

Yours for nature,

To read an op-ed by Dr. Anne Bell, our Director of Conservation and Education about exemptions to the ESA, please click here.

For more information, and to post draft comments online, click here.

For a copy of Ontario Nature’s full submission on the proposed changes, please e-mail Dr. Anne Bell at anneb@ontarionature.org.