(Toronto). In his 2006/7 Annual Report, released today, Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner warns that the province’s approach to development without adequate planning could do irreparable damage to the province’s environment. Earthroots applauds Commissioner Miller’s frank recommendations. In particular, he highlighted the destruction of greenspaces in Southern Ontario as a result of industrial and suburban sprawl. He also noted that inadequate monitoring of industrial development, such as forestry, mining, and hydro, in the far north poses serious threats to the Boreal Forest.

For Southern Ontario, Commissioner Miller explained that a lack of density targets combined with dramatic population growth in the Greater Golden Horseshoe will threaten groundwater sources, and that highways, roads and quarries will compromise important greenspaces. Earthroots has reservations about the government’s commitment to improve the quality of life for Ontarians when the provincial budget included 1.7 billion dollars for highway expansion. In his report, Commissioner Miller noted that: “Some priorities that reinforce unsustainable approaches to community development in Southern Ontario remain ingrained and unchallenged in recent provincial initiatives. . .”

Miller also suggested that the province is taking an unsustainable approach to development in Ontario’s North. The Annual Report highlights the fact that development without adequate planning will negatively impact the fragile northern environment and will have negative social and economic impacts on northern communities. Commissioner Miller recommends “the establishment of a comprehensive land use planning system for northern Ontario . . . to ensure that future decision-making is guided by sound principles, public scrutiny, and a precautionary approach to environmental protection.”

During his press conference this morning, Commissioner Miller commented that Ontario is “developing beyond the capacity of the land.” The consequences of this will be far-reaching; they will impact species-at-risk, such as the iconic Woodland Caribou, as well as a wide range of critical ecosystems across the province, such as wetlands, watersheds, and the Boreal Forest.

The environmental community expressed its support today for 2006/7 Report. “These are important issues that many groups have been working on for years,” said Catharine Grant, Earthroots Forest Campaigner. “We hope that Commissioner Miller’s findings will prompt the government to take land-use planning more seriously, and to ensure adequate environmental protection in sensitive ecosystems in both the South and the North.”

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For more information, please contact Earthroots at 416-599-0152 or 416-819-7424

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