The Ministry of Natural Resources has just released a proposed Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan for public consultation. It’s a collaborative effort between many different levels of government and stakeholders, certainly long overdue, to systematically deal with this significant problem in Ontario.

Invasive species can cause massive ecological damage, on top of how they can seriously affect the bottom line of our many economic sectors. One only has look at the damage that a plant like kudzu has caused in the United States to realize that we need to take this issue very seriously. (Kudzu appeared in Ontario two years ago.)

An article in today’s Toronto Sun frames the proposed plan for its readers as the government wanting “special powers to go onto private property to deal with the problem.” It states that the plan’s proposal to discuss available options will be controversial.

It should be noted that Ontario has a long history of trying to eradicate invasive species, tracing back to a law passed in 1866 attempting to stop the spread of thistles brought over from Europe. Since then, we have seen new waves of invasive species enter Ontario at different points in time, such as a wave of invasive species coming from ballast water discharges into the Great Lakes after the fall of the former Soviet Union, followed by another wave with increased imports from Asia.
The Ontario government already has the power to enter private property for purpose of eradicating some invasive species. The Weed Control Act dates back to 1884. It enjoys long-standing support from rural communities and the agricultural sector.

This law allows a weed inspector to “enter upon any land and buildings, except a dwelling house” for the purpose of searching for noxious weeds or weed seeds. The inspector also has the power to order that noxious weeds be destroyed by the landowner and, if they aren’t, inspectors can do it themselves and have it billed on the person’s municipal taxes.

Having an open and honest discussion about environmental issues and how our provincial government deals with them is so important. It also is the crux of my role as Environmental Commissioner. Framing issues about the spectre of government as some sort of bogeyman does an injustice to the conversation we all need to have.