Environmental Commissioner Outlines Challenges Facing Ontario’s New Government
TORONTO, November 27, 2003 - Gord Miller, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), released his fourth annual report to the Legislature today, calling on Ontario to “think beyond the near and now” in confronting the environmental challenges facing the province. The essential need to preserve Ontario’s biological diversity is a major theme of this year’s report, which has articles on the large number of species at risk in Ontario, the severe shortage of native tree seeds, and the threats to native animal and plant species from urban sprawl, industry, forestry and invasive species. Biodiversity is a concern that brings together some of the most serious environmental issues facing Ontario, said Miller. Provincial ministries work away at fragments of these issues, he added, but what is needed is an integrated strategy that would deal with these interrelated problems in a coordinated way.
“We must begin to realize what’s at risk when Ontario’s biodiversity is threatened. It's not just an abstract concept," said Commissioner Miller, who monitors compliance by provincial ministries with the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR). "When the things we take for granted begin to disappear – when all the trees in the neighbourhood are cut down because of invasive species and the songbirds disappear from our backyard feeders – people will begin to care profoundly. They'll realize then that biodiversity is the essence of the quality of life we enjoy."
One of the key findings in this year’s ECO report deals with the environmental impacts of discharges from municipal sewage treatment plants, a major cause of water pollution in Ontario. The report also covers other risks to ground and surface water – from paper mill sludge in gun club berms and sewage sludge spread on farmlands, to the improper disposal of dead farm animals. Ontario is using up its deposits of sand and gravel for road construction, according to the report, without fully considering the environmental effects on aggregate-rich areas such as the Niagara Escarpment. Future generation of electricity – a significant source of smog and greenhouse gases – for Ontario’s growing population must be balanced with protection of the environment, said Commissioner Miller.
Recent legislation addresses several serious environmental problems, including the Nutrient Management Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Sustainable Water and Sewage Systems Act. The province has also signed on to the new Canada-Ontario Agreement on the Great Lakes, which commits both governments to reducing phosphorus-loading and eliminating persistent toxics such as PCBs and dioxins in the Great Lakes.
“The legislation passed in the last year has created a strong framework on which the province can build,” said Miller. “But the effectiveness of these new Acts will depend on the regulations and policies, yet to be developed, that will put the legislation into effect. The success of the new Acts will also depend on adequate financial resources and enforcement.”
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