[All] court rulling on ON's Endangered Species Act

[Susan Koswan]

This is bad. 

Susan K

 

http://www.ontarionature.org/media/news_template.php?n_code=740

 


Media Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Statement on Divisional Court ruling on Ontario's Endangered Species Act


TORONTO - Ontario's Divisional Court has upheld a provincial regulation that
exempts major industries from the Endangered Species Act and allows them to
kill species at risk and destroy their habitat.

"This is a disappointing decision for Ontario
<http://www.ecojustice.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Wildlands-League-et-al-
v-LGIC-Min-of-Nat-Resources-Div-Ct-Judgment-TRL.pdf> 's endangered and
threatened wildlife," said Ecojustice lawyer Lara Tessaro. "The Endangered
Species Act is intended to put species first - not to let their survival be
balanced against competing industrial interests. That would tip the scale
towards extinction."

When it was introduced in 2007, the Endangered Species Act was considered
the gold standard law for species protection in North America.
Unfortunately, recent years have seen Ontario shirk its duties to protect
at-risk wildlife.

In 2013, the province introduced a regulation that exempts major industries
from strict protection standards under the Endangered Species Act - in many
cases giving them a free pass to kill endangered or threatened species and
destroy their habitat, as long as this harm is "minimized." To challenge
this regulation, Ontario Nature and Wildlands League, represented by
Ecojustice lawyers, brought a lawsuit that culminated in a hearing earlier
this year.

"There are too many plants and animals that are teetering on the edge in
this province," said Anna Baggio of Wildlands League. "We will continue to
speak up for them until their habitat is protected and until they are no
longer at risk of extinction."

Some of Ontario's 155 at-risk species threatened by the regulation include
the American Eel, Blanding's Turtle, Lakeside Daisy, Jefferson Salamander,
Eastern Meadowlark, and the iconic Woodland Caribou.

"In the past 40 years, the earth has lost over half of its wildlife," said
Caroline Schultz. "Today's ruling certainly won't help the situation. The
prospects for Ontario's most vulnerable plants and animals just got a whole
lot bleaker."

The groups are reviewing the decision and considering their options.

-30-

For more information, please contact:

Lara Tessaro, Staff Lawyer | Ecojustice: 416-368-7533 ext. 531, 647-462-1834
(mobile)

Anna Baggio, Director of Conservation Planning | Wildlands League:
416-453-3285 (mobile)

Caroline Schultz, Executive Director | Ontario Nature: 416-444-8419 ext.
237, 416-768-9795 (mobile)

 

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