GBA 2021 - Spring Update

8 www.georgianbay.ca GBA UPDATE Spring 2021 S ince taking office, the Ford government in Ontario has undertaken a systematic erosion of environmental protections in favour of developers and industry. This was particularly apparent with the April 2020 suspension of the public consultation requirements under the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR). The rationale was to address issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, but only nine of 276 exempted proposals during that period were urgent and related to COVID-19. Furthermore, leave to appeal was cancelled on 197 of 263 proposed permits and approvals. The government’s justification – stimulating the economy and reducing or removing red tape – is wearing thin. Many believe that this government considers environmental protections to be nothing more than red tape, and that it is ignoring the advice of its own scientists to consider the long- term benefits of a healthy environment and the intrinsic value of, for instance, wetlands. This was strongly endorsed by the recent report from the Auditor General (see further along in this article). The specific actions that the government has taken and why they are relevant to Georgian Bay are as follows: ≥ Changes made to the Species at Risk Act ignored advice and instituted what has been dubbed by Mike Schreiner, the leader of the Green Party of Ontario, as a “pay to slay” provision, whereby developers can simply pay for destruction of species at risk and their habitat. Georgian Bay is home to ~52 species at risk that are thriving because GBA and others go to great lengths to protect them and their habitat. We have already seen attempts by developers at locations such as Macey Bay for widescale habitat destruction. In this context, GBA will also closely monitor any potential expansion of the wetlands offset program outside of southern Ontario. ≥ Throughout 2020, GBA has been supporting the efforts of a large group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to preserve the functions of Ontario’s Conservation Authorities (CAs). In December 2020, the Ford government ignored the advice of experts warning that retaining the current expertise and knowledge base within CAs was ENVIRONMENT Photo: Tianna Burke Environmental Protections and Planning By Rupert Kindersley, Executive Director Photo: Tianna Burke