The Abandonment of Endangered Species Protection in Ontario

The Endangered Species Act in Ontario is about to be repealed. The deed is almost done. The necessary legislation has received Royal Assent and all that remainsis for the Cabinet to proclaim it into law (at their discretion). It will be replaced by the Species Conservation Act.

The protection that Ontario has extended to the most at risk parts of our biodiversity for 54 years has ended. The old Act had the purpose of protecting species that are at risk and their habitats, and promoting the recovery of those species. The purpose of the Species Conservation Act is to provide for the protection and conservation of species while taking into account social and economic considerations, including the need for sustainable economic growth in Ontario. Note the priority shift to social economic considerations. I doubt that there are any species protection measures that can override economic growth.  And why no mention of habitat protection or species recovery?

The protection of business, to the detriment of our natural heritage, has become the priority interest of our government. The original legislation was created by a Progressive Conservative government that, while always business friendly, acknowledged that there were higher values and more precious resources that society ought to maintain for future generations. As a community, Ontario recognized that extinction (or extirpation of a species from our Province)represented a major social and moral failure that must be avoided.

But we have done it and we must now live with that decision until some more far sighted and intellectually mature Legislature realizes the horrible error that has been made. Hopefully the accumulating damage to biodiversity will somehow be seen as worth it.

By Gord Miller