Ontario's Endangered Birds Left Unprotected

The repealing of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and its replacement with theSpecies Conservation Act (SCA) profoundly changes the way species at risk are protected in Ontario. The protections of the SCA (not yet in force) only extend to the Protected Species in Ontario List. Under the ESA a similar protected list included birds also covered under federal legislation but those species will not be on Ontario’s protected list anymore. Ten species of bird previously listed by experts as endangered in Ontario now receive no protection under provincial laws. Familiar birds like the loggerhead shrike, piping plover, red-headed woodpecker, and chimney swift, all known to be endangered, and you thought were looked after are examples of those who will be excluded from Ontario’s protection.

The province will argue that they will receive coverage under the federal MigratoryBirds Convention Act but who enforces that? There are no Environment Canada enforcement officers or mechanisms that will identify an activity that is destroying the nesting habitat of an endangered bird. Environment Canada isn’t even copied on the various applications seeking approvals (or future registrations under the SCA) in the economic activities of the province.

The proposed Protected Species List which excludes endangered and threatened bird species is a ruse to deflect attention from a serious risk to the ecological integrity of Ontario.

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