The Ford government has a strong focus on economic development and employment and has taken numerous actions that reduce environmental protections. Some of this is summarized in the Auditor General’s 2021 and 2020 reports, see below:
2021 Auditor General of Ontario Report on the Ministry of Environment Conservation & Parks (“MECP”)
The Auditor General has followed up their 2020 report (below) with an audit of MECP that highlights a comprehensive disregard for the environment:
- Multiple deficiencies in the operation and application of the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR), including:
- circumvention of public consultation requirements, particularly on major legislative and regulation changes
- inappropriate application of Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) – issuing as many MZOs since 2019 as had been issued in the previous 30 years
- the 16 other ministries that are required to comply with the EBR are also non-compliant
- Allowing industry a virtual free pass on Hazardous Spills through a failure to ensure and enforce compliance
- Failure to do anything meaningful on Waste Reduction
- Together with the Natural Resources and Agriculture ministries, virtually no Public Reporting on the state of the environment
- Last, but not least, a complete failure to protect Species at Risk by rubber stamping developers’ applications to destroy habitat (including at Macey Bay), as this table shows all too clearly:
More information on the destruction of species at risk habitat at Macey Bay and the MECP approval of the two inadequate sewage systems at Macey Bay and Brandy’s Cove can be found here.
Please find below links to a summary of the report and the sections of the full report:
- Auditor General Report Summary on MECP – Nov 22 2021
- Operation of the Environmental Bill of Rights
- Value-for-Money Audit – Reporting on Ontario’s Environment
- Value-for-Money Audit – Species at Risk
- Value-for-Money Audit – Hazardous Spills
- Value-for-Money Audit – Waste Disposal
Additional Resources:
- Ontario Using Frequent MZOs to Fast-track Development, Auditor says – CTV, December 1, 2021
- AG Gives Ontario a Failing Grade on its Climate Progress – Environmental Defence blog, November 25, 2021
2020 Auditor General of Ontario Report on Environmental Value-for-Money Audits and the Operation of the Environmental Bill of Rights
The Auditor General for Ontario (AGO) took over the responsibilities of the Environment Commissioner after the Ford government cancelled that post. If the Ford government thought that this would lead to less (official) criticism of their environmental policies, it backfired. Following publicly criticizing the government for not following the required process under the EBR for changes to the Environmental Assessment Act, the AGO’s annual Report of Environmental Value-for-Money Audits and the Operation of the Environmental Bill of Rights was sharply critical of the Ford administration’s performance across the board. The deficiencies demonstrate clearly the low priority that this Ontario government affords to environmental protection and how it has attempted to stifle public input by either cancelling it outright or providing the shortest times possible to respond to EBR postings. It is vital for protecting Georgian Bay that we are able to provide this input on projects and policies that could impact our environment, so the AGO report was most welcome.
Here are some extracts from the AGO Annual Report of Environmental Value-for-Money Audits and the Operation of the Environmental Bill of Rights:
- Reflections Summarizing 2020 Deficiencies
- 2020 Summary Conserving the Natural Environment
- Environmental Protection Operational Deficiencies
- EBR Accountability and Transparency Deficiencies Summary
- EBR Compliance Deficiencies
Reducing Environmental Protections
GBA has been working closely with our ENGO partners and making direct submissions, as appropriate, to object to these actions and ask for environmental protections to be restored and/or strengthened. Below are links to the various GBA submissions:
- Ontario Government’s Bill 197 Heads to Court – May 20, 2021
- Bill 257 Passed Despite Vigorous Opposition – April 20, 2021
- GBA Supports Call for the Province to Withdraw Proposed Planning Act Amendments – April 5, 2021
- Some Success in the Battle to Limit Use of MZOs – March 19, 2021
and GBA posts:
- March 5, 2021 – Ontario Government Uses Pandemic Provisions to Increase Misuse of MZOs
- February 1, 2021 – GBA Joined a Large Group of NGOs to Ask the Ontario Government to Stop Using MZOs to Circumvent the Environmental Assessment and Planning Approval Process
- December 8, 2020 – GBA Opposes the Provincial Government’s Use of MZOs to Develop on Wetlands
- November 23, 2020 – GBA Comments on Changes Made to the Environmental Assessment Act
- September 3, 2020 – Ontario Government is Facing Legal Challenges Over Bill 197
- July 29, 2020 – Ontario’s AG Notes that Bill 197 Does Not Comply with Public Consultation Requirements under the Environmental Bill of Rights
- April 16, 2020 – Ontario Government Suspends Environmental Oversight During COVID-19 Emergency
- December 12, 2019 – GBA Asks Ontario Government to Reconsider Proposed Changes on Environmental Protections
- April 21, 2019 – Ford Government Closes the Office of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO)
- November 18, 2018 – Ontario Environmental Commissioner 2018 environmental report