KENORA. TORONTO – Ontario’s Endangered Species legislation needs to reflect reality. “A key component of this proposed regulation is the recognition by the Government that forestry activities already provide for the protection of species at risk and their habitat,” says Jamie Lim, President & CEO of the Ontario Forest Industries Association. 

“This regulation does not give the forest industry a free ride: it guarantees that the recovery of species at risk will continue, while also ensuring that economic development activities, such as forestry, will be allowed to proceed without unnecessary impacts,” contends Lim.

Ontario’s Endangered Species Legislation

Ontario’s forests are a valuable renewable resource that employs over 200,000 hard working Ontarians in over 260 communities. Across Northern Ontario. Having the proper balance in legislation will be critical for the region’s forest, mining, and tourism business sectors to succeed.

In an Environmental Registry posting on January 24, 2013 the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) outlined its preferred transition measures for various economic development sectors under the Endangered Species Act (2007).   This proposed regulation is consistent with a long-standing commitment from the government and includes a series of recommendations aimed at improving the way the MNR implements the ESA.   

Mayor David Canfield, Executive VP of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association agrees.

“Despite alarmist claims from special interest groups like Greenpeace and the Suzuki Foundation, this proposed regulation provides some much needed balance to the implementation of the ESA for Ontario’s forest industry”. 

“The mandatory protection of species at risk and their habitat has been part of Forest Management Plans for nearly 20 years and those protections will be upheld,” continued Canfield. 

This EBR posting closes Monday, February 25, 2013.  It is critical that municipal leaders, citizens and stakeholders respond to the EBR with support for the government’s proposed transition measure.  

NOMA offers draft letter

NOMA has a draft letter for public use available for download at www.noma.on.ca/forestsupport