Species at risk in Ontario are at a tipping point. With over 230 threatened or endangered species, the province is currently losing more biodiversity than we are conserving.

Instead of fixing this problem, the Government of Ontario has been chipping away at the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for years by weakening or eliminating protections for species at risk in the province. These ongoing revisions have been consistently geared towards allowing exactly the types of sprawl and highway projects that will be most damaging to endangered species and their habitat.

Adjusting our endangered species legislation to make things easier for sprawl developers compromises the sole purpose of the ESA - protecting and recovering species at risk.

In order to successfully protect Ontario’s threatened and endangered species, the government must do the following:

• Stop projects that would destroy species at risk and their habitats, such as the proposed Highway 413 and Bradford Bypass;
• Create guidelines for ministry staff on when to deny development approvals that are based on species’ survival needs;
• Increase government accountability and transparency by publicly reporting on protective actions taken and cumulative impacts on species at risk; and
• Reverse ALL of the damaging changes made to the ESA in recent years

Please join us and tell Minister Andrea Khanjin that we want stronger species at risk protections to safeguard Ontario’s most vulnerable plants, animals, and ecosystems!

Your letter will be sent to the Minister of the Environment and your local MPP.