Conserving Biodiversity in Ontario - 2002
Ontario is an ecologically diverse region of Canada, stretching from the northern Arctic tundra on the shores of Hudson Bay to the remnants of Carolinian forest bordering the southern Great Lakes. This extensive range of landforms and climates has created habitat for more than 2,900 species of vascular plants, 160 species of fish, 80 species of amphibians and reptiles, 400 species of birds and 85 species of mammals. This rich tapestry of life, including the diverse ecosystems and landscapes that support these species, forms the biological diversity of Ontario.
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What is Biodiversity?
Biological diversity, also called biodiversity, can be understood as the variety of native species, the genetic variability of each species, and the variety of different ecosystems they form. It is the result of billions of years of evolution, creating ecological systems so complex that humans are only now beginning to understand their dynamics.
The Loss of Biodiversity
Humans are part of the natural environment, but we — as a species — are also causing significant damage to it. The loss of biodiversity is a global problem and it is acknowledged as one of the most critical environmental issues facing the planet. Among the most significant threats to biodiversity are the cumulative impacts of industry, farming, forestry, mining, fishing, urban sprawl, transportation corridors and high levels of material consumption. Biodiversity may also be seriously affected by pollution, climate change, and the introduction of exotic species.
The rapid expansion of human populations and unsustainable forms of development have caused what has been called the sixth extinction episode of the Earth. Species are disappearing at rates estimated to be 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than in the past. More than 11,000 species of plants and animals across the planet risk extinction in the near future. Three-fourths of the planet’s bird species are in decline and amphibian species are mysteriously disappearing. Within North America, more than 30 per cent of freshwater fish species are rare, threatened or endangered. Less than 8 per cent of wild ungulate populations, such as caribou or elk, have survived since European colonization. Populations of large carnivores have rapidly declined, with large protected areas becoming their last refuges.
In no small measure, this loss of biodiversity is due to the transformation of the physical landscape and the destruction of habitat. The integrity of vast landscapes is ecologically deteriorating, be it from the logging of old-growth forests or the melting of polar ice in the Canadian Arctic as a result of climate change. Almost one-fifth of ecosystem types in North America have been reduced to critical levels, risking their entire loss. More than half of North American wetlands have been lost in the last 200 years.
Ontario is not isolated from this environmental issue. The diversity of species and natural areas is heavily impacted by Ontario’s 12 million citizens, the majority of whom live in the southern and highly urbanized portion of the province. Regions such as southwestern Ontario have been virtually stripped of their pre-settlement forests, with only an estimated 5 per cent of their original woodlands intact. Such a dramatic loss of habitat places enormous pressures on the species that remain. Other species have been extirpated from the province and cannot be recovered, as sufficient habitat no longer exists — such as the loss of Ontario’s tallgrass prairie ecosystems. Aquatic systems face similar pressures. For example, as dams were erected on the major rivers flowing into the lower Great Lakes, the spawning areas were cut off for species such as the Atlantic salmon, causing their extirpation. With each year that passes, the number of threatened and endangered species increases in Ontario.
Conserving biodiversity requires a re-thinking of current approaches to environmental issues. First, the determination of the root causes of the biodiversity crisis should be understood, stressing the importance of environmental education. Second, current government approaches should be assessed to determine areas in which to strengthen conservation efforts. Third, a coordinated strategy should guide the implementation of reforms.
Biodiversity and the Environmental Bill of Rights
In the early 1990s, approaches to environmental issues began to change. In Ontario, the Environmental Bill of Rights was drafted and then enacted in 1993. Its authors were clearly aware of biodiversity concerns. One of the central purposes of the EBR is “the protection and conservation of biological, ecological and genetic diversity.”
Ministries prescribed by the EBR are also required to pursue these objectives in their Statements of Environmental Values and in any subsequent decision-making that affects the environment. Indeed, the Ministry of Natural Resources’ own Statement of Environmental Values requires that “the variety of life — biological diversity – will be conserved.”
The Convention on Biodiversity at the Rio Earth Summit
Biodiversity was propelled into the international spotlight at approximately the same time. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, more commonly known as the Rio “Earth Summit,” was held in 1992. The Convention on Biological Diversity was presented to the nations participating in the Rio Earth Summit as a framework for conserving natural areas and species.
Under this agreement, countries are obliged to conserve their sovereign biological diversity and respect that of other nations. The Convention was intended to assist countries in developing their own biodiversity strategies. The Government of Canada is a signatory of the Convention on Biological Diversity, along with 181 other nations. The federal government formally ratified the Convention in 1993, making Canada the first industrialized country to do so.
The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy
In 1995, Environment Canada released the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy, which outlined a series of principles and strategic directions that were to serve as a guide to implement Canada’s commitment to conserving biodiversity. It also recognized the constitutional responsibilities for biodiversity, emphasizing the role of the provinces and territories and encouraging them to develop their own comprehensive strategies. The purpose of such initiatives, as reflected in the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy, is a vision for Canada as
- . . . a society that lives and develops as part of nature, values diversity of life, takes no more than can be replenished and leaves to future generations a nurturing and dynamic world, rich in biodiversity.
| Goals of the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy (1995) |
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In 1996, the provinces and territories agreed to implement the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy in a National Statement of Commitment. In Ontario, the Minister of Natural Resources signed on behalf of the province, since MNR is chiefly responsible for the biodiversity of Ontario.
Ontario's Ahievements
The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy commits the provinces and territories to fulfil a series of obligations. However, at this point, Ontario:
- committed to tabling a report to the federal government by 1997 on its own biodiversity initiatives, but failed to do so.
- has the responsibility to report to the public on its implementation of the federal strategy, but has also failed to do so.
- has not developed a provincial strategy to assist in meeting its obligations, unlike provinces such as Quebec.
| Initiatives to implement the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy: the Province of Quebec |
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ECO Comment
The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario believes that MNR should undertake a comprehensive assessment of Ontario’s current policies, regulations and Acts, and enact appropriate changes to conserve the province’s biodiversity. Ontario committed to such an assessment in its endorsement of the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. The ECO and many other stakeholders have noted that many statutes that deal with biodiversity issues, such as the Endangered Species Act or the Provincial Parks Act, are outdated and need revisions.
Some advances have been achieved in recent years that partially address biodiversity issues, such as the introduction of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act and Ontario’s Living Legacy program. However, such actions do not address biodiversity issues across the entire province nor do they make biodiversity a priority. Other changes, such as reforms under the Planning Act, have essentially promoted urban sprawl in southern Ontario and have further threatened biodiversity.
A provincial biodiversity strategy would be consistent with the objectives of the EBR. Pursuant to its commitment to the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy, the Province of Ontario should take practical steps toward creating an improved legislative and policy framework that supports the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of biological resources. Ontario should also report to the public and the federal government on the state of the province’s biodiversity and the measures it is undertaking to conserve it.
| Recommendation 17:
The ECO recommends that the Ministry of Natural Resources develop a provincial biodiversity strategy in consultation with affected ministries, municipalities and stakeholders. |
| This is an article from the 2001/02 Annual Report to the Legislature from the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. |
Citing This Article
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. 2002. "Conserving Biodiversity in Ontario." Developing Sustainability, ECO Annual Report, 2001-02. Toronto, ON : Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. 153-157.
