Endangered Species Act
WHEREAS in 2007, the Government of Ontario passed the Endangered Species Act, and
WHEREAS in addition to species protection, the ESA 2007 prohibits damage or destruction of habitat for species at risk (those listed as endangered or threatened on the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List), and
WHEREAS when a species is placed on the Species at Risk in Ontario list its general habitat is automatically protected from damage or destruction and the Ministry of Natural Resources then develops a species-specific Habitat Regulation, which is the legal description of a species habitat that is protected under the Act, and
WHEREAS proponents of the forest industry have expressed significant concern with the unnecessary and costly duplication that the habitat regulation permit process represents, and
WHEREAS all harvesting on Crown land in Ontario is strictly regulated by the Government of Ontario under the Crown Forest Sustainability Act (CFSA) which has been in place since 1994 and requires “that Forest Management Plans (FMPs) identify threatened and endangered species as “featured species” and provide for their protection within the area covered by the plan. Forest Management Plans (FMPs) provide a proven, effective and efficient means of providing for species at risk
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association call on the Government of Ontario to implement a long term regulation under section 55 (1)(b) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) which recognizes that the primary objectives of the ESA are met through the Crown Forest Sustainability Act (CFSA) and its required Forest Management Plans (FMPs), and, further, fulfills government’s commitment to recognize the CFSA and FMPs as equivalent processes to the ESA with respect to planning for and providing for species at risk, and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT this resolution be sent to the following:
Premier of Ontario
Minister of Natural Resources
Minister of Economic Development and Trade
Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry
Minister of Government Services
Area MPPs
Adopted by Board, March 2010
Adopted by Membership, April 2010
