I am thoroughly disappointed…

I am thoroughly disappointed to see such short-sighted changes being proposed for the Endangered Species Act, especially under the guise of 'improvements.' Minimizing currently protected habitats and reducing our ability to identify future critical habitats viable for re-introduction of species-at-risk significantly stymies our ability to be pro-active in our prevention of habitat loss. I know that captive breeding programs for Redside Dace are actively working on stabilizing this species in Ontario, but how can we help these imperiled species actually recover if their critical habitat is being chewed up by this rapid and sloppy development process. The proposed exemptions for newly listed species also speaks to a worrying trend in these amendments of a disregard for these at-risk species as critical components of the natural resources and value of Ontarian land, instead seeing them as speed-bumps for other more 'lucrative' projects. While some progress has been made in some species, I don't believe we can afford to weaken the Endangered Species Act and risk allowing successes such as the Barn Swallows to backslide back into peril. We have a responsibility to provide future generations with an Ontario as rich, healthy, and beautiful as we enjoy today and I can't in good conscience say these amendments align with that goal.