Mayors unite in response to Endangered Species Act

Posted Wednesday, May 14, 2008

By Working Forest staff

Midnight hour scrapping of promised changes to Ontario’s Endangered Species Act has left mayors of Northwestern Ontario shaking their heads.

Come June 30 the ESA, passed last year in Queen’s Park, will come into effect and the Mayor’s of Thunder Bay, Greenstone and Dryden are demanding the provincial government adopt provisions allowing an exemption for the forest industry.

In a press release from the Ontario Forestry Coalition Mayors Anne Krassilowsky of Dryden, Michael Power of Greenstone and Lyn Peterson of Thunder Bay spoke of their concerns for the forest industry.

“The forest sector industry had been promised by the premier of Ontario in August of 2007 that the act would not supersede Forest management planning and the Crown Forest Sustainability Act,” said Power.

“Now it appears at the twelve hour that the premier and the government are going back on this (agreement).”

In an interview Power told The Working Forest that the provincial government met with representatives from the forestry industry and Northern communities over a six month period last year.

During these meetings Power said the provincial government promised to look into creating provisions to section 55 of the act. These provisions would recognize that the Ontario forest industry already satisfies the requirements of the act through existing legislation and licensing.
In mid April the government contacted industry representatives and informed them no permanent provision would be made and a permit system would be enforced.

“We see this as another danger to the economy of northern Ontario,” said Power.
“This is about the future economic viability of our communities in the north and across Ontario. The permitting mechanism being proposed by government will create a duplication of process that negatively impacts the forest industry and threatens future opportunities.”
In response to industry and community concerns the province declared a one year deferral before permits are enforced, but industry representatives are disappointed in the provincial government’s change of heart.

“In the last few weeks government has been under pressure from special interest groups forcing government to move away from its commitments,” said David Milton, President of the Ontario Lumber Manufacturer’s Association (OLMA)).

“What is being proposed today by government, a temporary deferral to develop permits, is clearly not the intent that was discussed last year.”

Power said an estimated 230,000 families living in Northern Ontario count on the Forest industry to make a living and a failure to address any threat to the industry puts their livelihood at risk.

“We’ve had enough bad news about Ontario becoming a have not province,” said Power.
“We need government to revitalize the Ontario economy.”