Projects and Other Initiatives

Toronto Biodiversity Strategy

This strategy aims to support healthier, more robust biodiversity and increased awareness of nature in Toronto through a comprehensive vision, ten principles and 23 actions under the themes of Protect, Restore, Design and Engage. The Biodiversity Strategy and this report’s recommendations are intended to further advance the City’s role as a leader in protecting and restoring urban biodiversity through development of an ecological integrity framework, advancing the work on invasive species management and joining the Biophilic Cities Network.

Proposed Strategy and Agenda History

ProtectNatureTO Submission September 9, 2019

Modernizing Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Act – Discussion Paper

Environmental Registry No. 013-5101

The provincial government first flagged its intention to “modernize” the EA process in the “made-in-Ontario” Environment Plan released in late 2018 for public consultation. Regrettably, the recently released Discussion Paper (Bill 108, Schedule 6) lacks many critical details. More alarmingly, it appears to equate EA requirements with “red tape.” For more detailed commentary see CELA Submission.

ProtectNatureTO Submission May 25, 2019

10th Year Review of Ontario’s Endangered Species Act – Changes

In a move that will prove devastating to species at risk, the Ontario government has unveiled plans to severely undermine the Endangered Species Act. The government gave the public just 30 days to comment on the proposed changes to the law. The deadline for comments was May 18.

For more details and actions you can take, visit the Toronto Field Naturalists Take Action webpage.

Preserving and Protecting…

Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generations: A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan

Environmental Registry number 013-4208

We recommend that the Environment Plan be immediately revised to become more robust and contain greater prescriptive information in order to help identify and preclude future governmental initiatives that are at odds with the environmental outcomes envisioned by the Environment Plan.

ProtectNatureTO submission January 28, 2019

Ontario’s Bill 66: Proposed open-for-business planning tool

PNTO Comments to Environmental Registry of Ontario re Bill 66, January 2019

BACKGROUND

ACTIONS TO TAKE and PETITION TO STOP BILL 66

Join us and many nature protection and citizen groups and thousands of Ontarians making efforts to stop Bill 66 from obliterating years of struggle to establish and bring into force essential environmental protection laws in Ontario

“If passed, this legislation would trump critical environmental protections for land, water and wildlife. Schedule 10 of the proposed legislation would allow municipalities to create an “open-for-business planning by-law” to circumvent planning requirements and land use restrictions under numerous provincial laws, plans and policies.”

Source: Ontario Nature summary and petition

Proposed Cormorant Hunt

Proposal to establish a hunting season for double-crested cormorants in Ontario: ProtectNatureTO submission

Toronto Pollinator Protection Strategy

The City’s Pollinator Protection Strategy

Motion adopted at Parks & Environment Committee May 4/17 meeting in response to our input: “The Parks and Environment Committee: Requested that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning continue to ensure the inclusion of the Environmentally Significant Areas in the Biodiversity Strategy.”