ERO-026-0696: Changes to Streamline Natural Resource Permits: Removal of Forest Resources (Trees) for Non-Forestry Activities Proposed addition of the Environmental Protection Act, 1990 to the listed Acts

By Linda Heron on Friday, September 25th, 2026

Vermilion River – Our grandchildren’s future with water!

ORA is deeply concerned about where these changes lead when they are taken together. The streamlining of environmental assessment, the spread of permit-by-rule, and the government’s direction to move MNR away from its strengths in protecting public land would leave Ontario’s forests and rivers, and the rich social and economic values they hold, to be decided project by project by proponents whose bottom line is profit. Together, these changes would roll back more than a century of public stewardship and place the health and safety of communities at dire risk.

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ERO 026-0696: Changes to Streamline Natural Resource Permits: Removal of Forest Resources (Trees) for Non-Forestry Activities; ERO 026-0698: Changes to Streamline Natural Resource Permits: Modernizing Forest Resource Licence Renewals

By Linda Heron on Monday, September 21st, 2026

Posted in Transmission, Biodiversity, Sustainability, Heavy Metal Contamination, Hydroelectric, Aquatic Life, Climate Change, Regulatory, Environmental Registry, Dams, River Concerns, Energy, Rivers at Risk, Fisheries, Forestry, Mining, Species at Risk, Water Quality, Forest Management

MNR describes the result of its own consultation in two ways. The posting states: “The environmental and social consequences will be neutral.”¹ MNR’s 5 August 2026 letter reports that the Ministry “received general support for more streamlined and efficient processes,” and in the same paragraph that “There were concerns raised with the removal of approvals, including potential impacts on the environment and Indigenous communities’ interests and rights.”⁴ The decision notice on the 2025 posting records that “Stakeholder comments ranged from supportive, to neutral, to unsupportive” and that “There was general opposition from Indigenous communities and organizations to protect Ontario permit reform proposals”.

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ERO-019-7378 – Black Ash regulation – Joint

By Linda Heron on Thursday, November 2nd, 2023

Posted in Regulatory, Joint, Endangered Species Act, Forest Management

Black Ash

On behalf of the 42 undersigned organizations, we are writing to express our strong opposition to the proposed conditional exemption for the endangered Black Ash, under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA). The proposed minimizes protections for the Black Ash at every turn and reveals a disturbing lack of intent on the part of the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP to prioritize the survival and recovery of the species.

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ERO-019-1620 – Proposed amendment to a regulation under Endangered Species Act, 2007 relating to Forest Operations in Crown Forests

By Linda Heron on Thursday, June 18th, 2020

Posted in ORA Submissions, Regulatory, Environmental Registry, Recovery Strategies, Endangered Species Act, Forest Management

The wording in this Environmental Registry posting is very misleading when it claims that “Ontario is committed to providing strong protections for species at risk and improving outcomes by modernizing and improving the effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act, as committed to in our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan”. This proposal is not improving the effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), it is even doubtful it will increase the profits of private corporations. It will however be to the detriment of species at risk.

Please note that the Ontario government decision is to continue with the forestry industry exemption of the Endangered Species Act when logging in Crown forests: “A decision for this proposal has been published as a Bulletin under ERO 019-1995 on June 29, 2020.”

“Ontario has extended the temporary approach for forest operations conducted in Crown forests under the Endangered Species Act for an additional year. This will help avoid additional regulatory burden and economic strain on the forestry sector while a long-term approach is being considered.”

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ERO-019-0880 Ontario’s Forest Sector Strategy (Draft)

By Linda Heron on Tuesday, February 4th, 2020

Posted in Crown Land Use Policy, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, Environmental Registry, Government, Industry, Forest Management

ORA also objects to Ontario ratepayers and/or taxpayers having to subsidize electricity pricing and capital expenditures for industry and private corporations. This Strategy focuses only on the economic benefits of doubling the harvest, without looking at the trade-offs or balancing that with equal measures to maintain a healthy environment. This is the only way to maintain the claim of sustainable forest management in Ontario.

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