Ontario's Bill 5 Shrinks Wildlife Habitat to Nests and Dens Only

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The new Species Conservation Act dramatically narrows what counts as protected "habitat" - from entire ecosystems animals need to just their immediate dwelling places like nests and dens.

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Under the old law, Blanding's turtles had protection for wetlands up to 2km from where they were found, but the new definition might only protect the exact log they bask on.

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The 22% increase in species at risk between 2009-2020 could accelerate under these changes, with Ontario's biodiversity valued at $122.5 billion (in today's dollars).

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Developers no longer need permits with environmental oversight - they can simply complete an online registration and begin work immediately in sensitive areas.

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The provincial government has removed requirements to develop recovery strategies for endangered species, eliminating a crucial planning tool for species survival.

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Politicians, not scientists, now have final say on which species deserve protection - allowing politically inconvenient species to be removed from protection lists.

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Environment Minister Todd McCarthy claims these changes will reduce delays for housing and infrastructure projects like Highway 413, which crosses multiple endangered species habitats.

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"It undermines the very rationale for having this law in the first place," said Justina Ray of Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, comparing it to "a fire department weighing the bill for water damage before responding to a blaze."

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Environmental Defence's Tim Gray warns: "All of the requirements for actually recovering species and creating new habitat, the number of individuals, all that is swept away."

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Environmental organizations including WWF-Canada, Ontario Nature, and Ecojustice have condemned the changes, calling Bill 5 "a reckless, corporate giveaway disguised as economic policy."

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Will federal protections through the Species at Risk Act be enough to fill the gaps left by Ontario's weakened laws, or is this the beginning of the end for many of the province's endangered species?

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