TORONTO—The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks has announced plans to review the province’s Endangered Species Act.
The government is ensuring stringent protections for species at risk, while continuing to work with conservation organizations, businesses, Indigenous communities and the public to improve the effectiveness of the program. As a first step, the province is undertaking a review of the Endangered Species Act, notes a government release.
“As part of the commitments contained within our made-in-Ontario environment plan, we are consulting to improve the effectiveness of our environmental protections to ensure a balanced approach between a healthy environment and a healthy economy,” said Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Rod Phillips. “During the past decade of implementing the act, we have heard what works well and what can be improved.”
According to the provincial government, the review will look at ways to ensure “positive outcomes” for at-risk species, increase “efficiencies in service delivery” and streamline approval processes, all while maintaining an “effective government oversight role.”
As part of the review, a discussion paper has been posted on the Environmental Registry for a 45-day consultation period inviting the public, Indigenous communities and groups, conservation organizations and businesses to comment on how the province can “achieve positive outcomes for species at risk while reducing burden and increasing efficiencies for businesses.”
The focus of the review and the discussion paper will be on: enhancing the government’s ability to enforce regulations under the Endangered Species Act; ensuring that species assessments for the Species at Risk in Ontario List are based on current science; streamlining related approvals and processes; maintaining effective government oversight; and increasing transparency around the process for listing species on the Species at Risk in Ontario List.
In making the announcement, Mr. Phillips said the province was “reaffirming our commitment to the Endangered Species Act is part of the government’s made-in-Ontario environment plan to protect our air, land and water, prevent and reduce litter and waste, support Ontarians to continue to do their share to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help communities and families increase their resilience to climate change. The plan will help protect the Ontario we know and love, ensuring that its pristine beauties and strong communities can be enjoyed now and in the future.”
