ONTARIO CAN’T AFFORD TO DELETE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS    (Queen’s Park): Trashing Ontario’s Endangered Species Act is unacceptable, says Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner.

“We can’t let the Wynne government bulldoze environmental protections,” says Schreiner.

“Greens will fight to protect the places we love. Let’s leave our children the rich natural heritage we have enjoyed.”

Schreiner joined environmental groups in calling on the Premier to reverse a Cabinet decision to grant sweeping exemptions to species protection. Over a thousand GPO supporters have sent letters to the Premier asking her to protect endangered species.

“The Premier failed her first big environmental test,” says Schreiner. “It’s not surprising that the Liberals’ short-sighted attack on endangered species has led to a lawsuit. Breaking their own legislation threatens protections for water, farmland and healthy communities. And the silence from the NDP and PC opposition on these issues is deafening.”

There is a better way to move forward without sacrificing environmental protection. The Green Party agrees with the Drummond Report: user fees should pay for environmental protection. User fees are fair and economical, and they discourage wasteful use of precious natural resources.

The Green Party is also calling on the government to support paying farmers and landowners for environmental good and services that benefit everyone.

“Instead of destroying species or regulating farmers out of business, Ontario should recognize the economic value of environmental goods and services,” says Schreiner. “Once again, other provinces and countries are way ahead of us in protecting what we value most.”  For the Silo, Becky Smit