Endangered Species Act change approved for further study

Saturday, May 12, 2012

by SUSAN MANN

A private member’s bill that would make it mandatory for the Natural Resources Ministry to consider social and economic factors as part of species recovery strategies squeaked through second reading Thursday.

Proposed by Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott, Bill 73 passed by just one vote - the tally was 30 in favour, 29 opposed. The proposal has now been referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy for further study. No date has been set yet for committee hearings on the proposal that would amend the Endangered Species Act.

“I’ll take the win,” Scott says of her proposed bill narrowly winning approval.

As part of considering social and economic factors in species recovery and habitat protection strategies, Scott says that should include a cost-benefit analysis including job losses and the loss of land use.

Scott, the Progressive Conservative natural resources critic, says she has heard repeated stories of people being afraid to report a discovery of an endangered species because of punitive restrictions that could be imposed on them.

The current Endangered Species Act isn’t working for endangered species or landowners, she notes.

Scott says she hopes the committee will hold public hearings as they discuss her amendment “and they need to travel outside Toronto. This is predominately a rural issue.” BF