Protect Our Planet: Vote for Nature and Climate Resilience

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Ontario is headed for an early election. Premier Ford has said he will trigger the election on Wednesday, January 29th.

As residents of Ontario, we must make nature conservation a prominent election issue. While issues related to affordability and tariff threats from the United States are likely to dominate headlines and the election campaign, we cannot afford to ignore the interrelated biodiversity and climate crises. All those issues are foundational to our long-term health and wellbeing, and economic prosperity. We can protect nature and address affordability.

The many challenges that our society faces will only be exacerbated by the continued degradation of the natural world.

Two luxury vehicles drive by release emissions in front of a sprawling subdivision with thousands of residences packed closely together, human impacts at the cost of environmental degradation
Pickering, Ontario sprawl © Ken Nash CC BY-SA 2.0

Make Your Voice Heard

Before and during the election campaign, you have an opportunity to raise the profile of conservation issues with family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, local candidates, political party leaders and the media.

In late 2024, Ontario Nature surveyed its board members, staff, Nature Network groups, members and supporters on their priorities for the upcoming provincial election. Based on that input, we have identified the following priorities:

Neyaashiinigmiing, unceded lands, Saugeen Peninsula
Neyaashiinigmiing, unceded lands, Saugeen Peninsula © quietfyre CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Commit to a strategy to halt and reverse biodiversity decline in alignment with national and international targets by:

Ensure Ontario’s provincial planning framework protects our ecosystems and biodiversity by:

  • Restoring the powers of the Conservation Authorities 
  • Reversing changes to the Planning Act and the overall planning policy framework that encourage sprawl and weaken protections for natural heritage
  • Cancelling Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass, instead investing in public and active transportation and increased density in existing urban boundaries
  • Reversing changes that limit the protections of all wetlands and that make it easier for them to lose their provincially significant status 
  • Protecting, strengthening and expanding the Greenbelt
The Mer Blue Bog near Ottawa, like other wetlands in Ontario, is in jeopardy of fragmentation and degradation as a result of proposals to build roads through the wetland areas
Mer Bleue Bog, Ottawa © National Capital Commission CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Your Vote Matters

A vote for nature is a vote to prioritize the issues noted above and correct course towards a more sustainable and liveable Ontario.

Never underestimate the power of people and the impact an individual can have. Please join Ontario Nature in calling for biodiversity and conservation action to be an election priority!

The post Protect Our Planet: Vote for Nature and Climate Resilience appeared first on Ontario Nature.

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