The AFS-OC would like to express its concern with the December 20, 2023 proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) which will impact Redside Dace in Ontario. As a result we have drafted a letter expressing our concerns, questions and potential solutions to alert our membership. In short, we ask concerned members to visit https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-8016 and review the proposed regulatory changes, and submit comments. If you are unsure about what to say, we list possible issues you can copy in the attached letter. The more voices that oppose this change, the better.

NOTE that questions or comments must be submitted before February 20, 2024.

Ontario protects species at risk and their habitats through the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA).

As part of efforts to improve the effectiveness and implementation of the species at risk program, amendments are proposed to several regulations made under the ESA.

Specifically, amendments are proposed in four key areas:

1. Regulatory amendments regarding habitat protections for Redside Dace
2. Regulatory amendments regarding select conservation fund species and related administrative changes
3. Regulatory amendments to add newly listed species to existing conditional exemptions and other administrative changes to conditional exemptions
4. Regulatory amendments regarding the conditional exemption for early exploration mining

Feedback and input from the public, Indigenous communities, and stakeholders on these proposed changes are invited. This consultation closes at 11:59 p.m. on February 20, 2024. See https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-8016 for more information.