Endangered Species Act changes take effect July 1

Thursday, June 6, 2013

by DAVE PINK

Changes to Ontario’s Endangered Species Act should make life easier for the province’s farmers and its rural municipalities, says the president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

“We view the changes as a positive, with more balance and common sense,” says Mark Wales. “The changes are geared to simplify the process. It made no sense to put people through a long, costly bureaucratic process.”

The new rules take effect July 1, along with a new species-at-risk website to provide easy-to-access information to help people comply with the legislation.

The changes will not reduce or eliminate any of the protective measures for any of the animal and plant species believed to be endangered. In fact, the revised legislation will add 65 new species to the endangered list – although none of those new entries is likely to have a significant impact on rural communities, with the exception of a few trees and shrubs.

However, the new rules clearly state what is endangered, and what people must do if there is a minor disruption of the environment of those endangered species.

“Say you are going to cut down one butternut tree. You now know you have to plant 10 butternut trees to take its place,” says Wales. “It would be different if someone was going to do a major clearcut, but farmers just aren’t doing that.”

The OFA was one of several organizations to make a submission to the Ministry of Natural Resources while the changes were being considered.

The ministry says its new rules, and new online registry, will also make it easier for volunteers and researchers to undertake projects that protect endangered species, and will simplify the requirements for municipalities to carry out projects to protect human health and safety, such as road repairs. As well, there will be a harmonization of the Endangered Species Act and the Crown Forest Sustainability Act to preserve protection while avoiding overlap.

Of greater interest to the province’s farmers will be the new guidelines aimed at the protection of ground-nesting birds such as the bobolink and eastern meadowlark, says Wales. He says they are expected this summer, and it’s hoped they will provide some long-term answers for farmers needing to harvest their hay crops. BF