Tag Archives: ministry of the environment

Earth

Ontario Law Protects Bees By Reducing Neonicotinoid Corn And Soybean Crops

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On July 1, 2015, Ontario was the first jurisdiction in North America to protect bees and other pollinators through new rules to reduce the number of acres planted with neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seeds by 80 per cent.

Over the years, Ontario beekeepers have experienced unusually high over-winter losses of honey bees, reaching 58 per cent following the winter of 2013-14. image: naturalblaze.com
Over the years, Ontario beekeepers have experienced unusually high over-winter losses of honey bees, reaching 58 per cent following the winter of 2013-14. image: naturalblaze.com

To support this goal, new requirements were put in place for the sale and use of neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seed that will help ensure treated seed is only used when there is evidence of a pest problem. Reducing neonicotinoid use in these two crops presents the greatest potential to reduce pollinator exposure to the neurotoxic insecticide.

Pollinators, including bees, birds and butterflies, play a crucial role in agriculture and our ecosystem. The level of over-winter losses considered to be acceptable and sustainable by most apiculturists is 15 per cent.

 

The new rules are one part of Ontario’s strategy to improve pollinator health. The province will also develop a pollinator health action plan in consultation with the public and experts to address other stressors that affect pollinators.

Ensuring a strong and healthy agricultural sector is part of the government’s economic plan for Ontario. The four part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.

A flowering tobacco plant. Close to 100 per cent of corn seed and 60 per cent of soybean seed sold in Ontario is treated with neonicotinoid insecticides.
A flowering tobacco plant. Close to 100 per cent of corn seed and 60 per cent of soybean seed sold in Ontario is treated with neonicotinoid insecticides.

QUOTES

“Much of the food we eat and the vibrancy of Ontario’s natural habitats depend on a healthy pollinator population. Our government is taking necessary action to protect these vitally important species and the ecosystems they support from the effects of neurotoxic neonicotinoids.”

— Glen Murray, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change

“Farmers are environmental stewards of their land and this regulation will enable our province’s farmers to strengthen their approach to protecting their crops. To have a significant impact on improving pollinator health, over the coming months, we collectively need to focus on three additional contributors: habitat and nutrition, disease and pests as well as weather and climate change.”

— Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

 “Farmers care about the health of pollinators. That’s why the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA)  has worked closely with the Government of Ontario to have these new regulatory requirements work for the province’s farmers. The OFA supports the need for a complete pollinator policy.  The OFA will continue to work with the government toward the successful implementation of this regulation, keeping the concerns of farmers top of mind as part of a pollinator strategy.”

  • Don McCabe, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

 “Friends of the Earth is pleased and impressed by Ontario’s leadership in finalizing this first permanent reduction in the use of neonicotinoids in Canada. With its new pesticide regulation, Ontario is delivering important benefits for nature including honey bees, native bees and other vulnerable species.”

  • Beatrice Olivastri, Chief Executive Officer, Friends of the Earth Canada

“Doctors are delighted Ontario will be North America’s first jurisdiction to introduce regulatory restrictions on bee-killing neonic pesticides. Assuming Ontario hits its target of an 80% reduction by 2017, this will be the most important pollinator-protection policy on the continent — and a major contributor to food security.”

  • Gideon Forman, Executive Director, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment

 

QUICK FACTS

 

  • There are more than 400 pollinator species in Ontario and bees are the most common pollinator.
  • Bees and other pollinators are responsible for pollinating roughly 13 per cent of agricultural crops in Ontario (crops worth about $897 million), and support $26 million annually in honey production.
  • The province conducted a comprehensive, two-stage consultation process with the public and stakeholders to develop its neonicotinoid regulatory requirements.
  • Neonicotinoid-treated seeds are widely used in agriculture. Close to 100 per cent of corn seed and 60 per cent of soybean seed sold in the province is treated with neonicotinoid insecticides.

 

LEARN MORE

 

Learn more about the new regulatory requirements to protect pollinators

Learn about the importance of protecting bees and other pollinators

Supplemental- New York Times: Bee death may be linked to Tobacco ringspot virus

Politics

Revamped auto e-testing in Ontario is “ineffective money grab”

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The maniacal Hal9000 computer was in charge of operating a spacecraft in Kubrick's 2001:A Space Odyssey.
The maniacal Hal9000 computer was in charge of operating a spacecraft in Kubrick’s 2001:A Space Odyssey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s time to scrap Ontario’s Drive Clean program and the latest reboot of the decade old Drive Clean program should get the boot altogether. I make this claim following the Wynne government’s latest set of changes introducing a bureaucratic and excessively onerous procedure for consumers and car dealers to follow if their vehicle fails the new Drive Clean test. The changes build on a government revamp of the program that now have vehicles undergo an OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) test instead of an emissions test directly at the tailpipe – changes that resulted in an immediate jump in failure rates from 5 per cent up to 10.5 per cent.

[In the scene below- astronaut Dave is refused entry back into the main spaceship after retrieving the body of fellow astronaut Frank. The Hal9000 computer incorrectly diagnosed a failure in the spaceship’s communication antenna array. CP]

When our previous government introduced the program in 1999, emission reduction was both the goal and the result – today numerous drivers are being told their car has failed the test simply because its on-board computer isn’t ‘ready with the only reduction coming to the motorists wallet. It’s clear government introduced a more stringent e-test as a way to justify a program that has obviously outlived its usefulness.

To ensure all monitors/on-board computers are ready, the Ministry of the Environment has suggested motorists should spend a few days driving the vehicle on the highway and around town.

It seems hypocritical that a program geared to emission reduction would also encourage Ontarians to drive around aimlessly to remedy a technical glitch before they can pay more money to take another e-test. The fact that this is an unworkable, ineffective money-grab that has well passed it’s best before date. The Auditor General specifically warned the Liberals last year to delay the implementation of their new e-test in order to ensure that all technical testing was completed and problems were resolved.

In typical Liberal-fashion, the government ignored the advice of the Auditor General and rushed ahead with their new emissions test – neglecting any due diligence whatsoever.  For the Silo by Toby Barrett

Contact Toby for more information at 519-428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629

Politics

Ontario Green Party Vows To Protect Our Water

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GREEN PARTY LEADER LOOKS AHEAD; COMMITS TO PROMOTING CHANGE DURING MINORITY GOVERNMENT

Toronto – The Green Party of Ontario promises to continue to promote positive change during this minority session of government.
“I am proud of the Green Party’s campaign. The historic gains we made in terms of volunteers, membership and fundraising are accomplishments that build for the future,” said Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario.
“I’m disappointed, but not discouraged by the outcome of the election,” said Schreiner. This election saw the lowest voter turnout in Ontario’s history, and created a minority government.

“We’ve established a solid foundation for the Green Party to grow. The policies articulated in our platform are what Ontario needs, and our organization grows stronger by the day. Unfortunately, vote totals don’t always reflect the strength of a party. I am especially committed to strengthening our democracy by re-engaging the people who didn’t vote this time.”
The Green Party will continue to promote solutions that move the province forward toward a sustainable future for ourselves, our children and future generations. “Our campaign focused on key issues that won’t go away. We will continue to challenge the old parties on tackling tough challenges including local job creation; climate change; access to healthy local food; and responsible government that protects our water, preserves our farmland and puts the needs of our communities ahead of special interests,” says Schreiner.

Contact:

Becky Smit
Green Party of Ontario
(c) 647-830-6486
(o) 416-977-7476
(e) beckysmit@gpo.ca Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Politics

Ontario Greens Pledge To End One-size-fits-all Family Farm Regulation

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

GREENS TO END ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL REGULATIONS THAT PUNISH LOCAL BUSINESSES

DUNEDIN, ONTARIO – Today, Green Party of Ontario (GPO) Leader Mike Schreiner joined Neil Metheral, owner of Dunedin’s Metheral Meats, to announce the Green Party’s plan to end the one-size-fits-all regulations that punish local businesses and limits access to local food.

“Local food processors are an essential part of building strong local economies with good local jobs,” said Schreiner. “We must create a level playing field for local food processors and family farms by introducing regulations that recognize the differences in the size and scope of operations.”

The decline of local processing facilities in Ontario makes it difficult for farmers to access higher value markets and to brand local products. The loss of local processors also restricts consumer choice and access to healthy local food.

Over the last decade, governments have written regulations to address health and safety concerns at large operations without consideration of the unique needs of small and medium sized processors. The number of small and medium sized abbatoirs, like Metheral’s, in Ontario has declined by approximately 70% in the last
decade.

“The cost of regulations imposed on processers will most affect the profit for the farmer and the price for the consumer,” said Metheral “With better support we could hire a student to oversee HACCP to assess our quality at a decent wage. In most small plants we can’t keep up with these costs.”

The Metheral’s small Dunedin processing plant was founded in 1991. It is an essential part of the family’s farm – in operation for 8 generations – and the local economy.

As part of the Ontario Food and Farming Strategy, the Green Party will work with the food and agricultural sector, as well as other levels of government, to develop regulations, by-laws and zoning laws appropriate for family farms and farm-based businesses.

“We have to reverse the closure of local food processing facilities since they are essential to building a local sustainable food system,” said Schreiner “We need smart regulations to promote food safety while putting local processors on a level playing field.

According to a 2010 survey conducted by Farmers Feed Cities, an overwhelming 99% of Ontarians agree that farming is important to Ontario’s well-being. It’s time to ensure that local farmers are supported so that all Ontarian’s have access to healthy food grown close to home.

GREEN MPPS WILL:

· End one-size-fits-all regulations for family farms and local food processors

· Implement smart regulations that recognize differences in the size of operations.

· Eliminate tax penalties and reduce zoning restrictions to facilitate local, on-farm food enterprises and innovative sources of farm income.

· Improve income stabilization programs so they are more accessible for family farms, cover a wider range of products and don’t penalize farmers who experience bad years.

For more information on the Green Party’s 5 Point Plan visit: Silo Direct Link To Green Party’s 5 Point Plan

Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications
Green Party of Ontario
905 999 5479
rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca
http://Silo Direct Link to Green Party of Ontario’s Press Site
Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Links:
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[1] http://www.gpo.ca/