Environmentalists and opposition politicians say the Ontario government's review of endangered species laws could open the door to weakened protections and development of key habitats.
The concerns are being raised days before the province is set to stop accepting comments on an examination of the Endangered Species Act.
The government said its review was being conducted to improve protections for species at risk, as well as to look for ways to streamline approval processes and provide clarity to support economic development. Schreiner said the province has a low unemployment rate and there has been strong economic growth in recent years, all while the current species protections have been in place.
In 2013, the previous Liberal government created industry exemptions in the act that environmental groups slammed as a watering-down of the rules. It was a stark change from when the bill was first introduced and praised as a gold standard for species protection, she said. But a spokesman for the Environment Ministry said that after a decade of implementing the Endangered Species Act, the government has learned what works well and what can work better.
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