Province proposes regulatory changes under the Endangered Species Act to improve implementation of the species at risk program

The province is proposing a series of regulatory changes under the ESA, some of which may have major implications for development proposals in southern Ontario. One proposed change of particular interest relates to Redside Dace, an endangered fish species that exists primarily in watersheds of the Greater Toronto Area. The province is proposing to re-define how a stream might constitute either “occupied” or “recovery” habitat, which in turn influences which streams are subject to habitat protections under Section 10 of the ESA. If passed, we expect that the proposal will significantly shrink the extent of protected habitat for Redside Dace across the GTA and elsewhere in southern Ontario. This has the potential to streamline certain approval processes, but may also affect long-term recovery potential for Redside Dace.

Comments can be submitted to the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) at the following link:

https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-8016

Aster Environmental reviews all relevant postings on the ERO to remain up to date on regulatory changes that may affect our clients and services. If the proposed changes are passed, we will ensure the revised regulations are carefully considered during the preparation of Environmental Impact Studies and Natural Heritage Evaluations for our clients.