Bill 56 - The Penny Drops!

Bill 56 is at second reading before the Ontario Legislature. It is yet another omnibus bill which has 11 schedules which modify various pieces of legislation. The complex and rapid changes proposed by the government in these omnibus initiatives are confusing and deliberately obfuscating.

But now one thing has been made clear. Endangered and threatened species are to be exempt from any protection from Crown land forestry operations in Ontario! Previously they passed law that repealed the Endangered Species Act and replaced it with the Species Conservation Act (which has not yet been enacted). Now they propose to amend the Crown Forest Sustainability Act to say that the protective sections of the Species Conservation Act “do not apply” if you are following your forest management plan (which itself is vague and general and will not contain specific prescriptions for species at risk).

This the culmination of the “no rules” approach to environmental protection the current government of Ontario is constructing. The damage to our biodiversity will be profound and longterm. This course of action is a regression of ideas and developments that had been progressing for decades.

Earthroots is watching and attempting to alert public concern. Please help us.

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