Ontario Investing $2 Million to Protect the Boreal Forest

Ontario and Canada have completed a three-year, $10-million agreement that permanently protects nearly 19,400 hectares, creating 12 provincial parks and conservation reserves and expanding 50 others. The effort increases public access to hiking trails and green spaces and improves connections to established routes like the Bruce Trail.

The federal government has approved the Crawford nickel project in northern Ontario, after a nearly four-year review under the Impact Assessment Act. The decision imposes conditions on Canada Nickel, including community and Indigenous consultations, habitat protections, and measures to prevent environmental impacts, with construction potentially starting…

The Ontario NDP and Indigenous leaders called for a public inquiry into the province’s wildfire response, criticizing the government for what they described as a crisis and insufficient protection for First Nations. Government officials, including Natural Resources Minister Mike Harris, indicated no commitment to a public inquiry, stating they are…

The article reports that in 2025, Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government replaced the Endangered Species Act with the less-stringent Species Conservation Act, despite significant opposition. An internal Ministry of the Environment analysis shows 98.98% of 17,000 responses were opposed, criticizing prioritization of economic growth over environmental…

The Ontario government is investing nearly $3 million in 26 community-led environmental projects across the province, marking the largest allocation in the history of the Ontario Community Environment Fund. The funding, sourced from environmental penalties on polluters, supports efforts such as habitat restoration, invasive species control, shoreline…

The article reports that Ontario Community Environment Funding, totaling $3 million, will support 26 projects across the province, including Midwestern Ontario initiatives. Specific locally funded projects include the G2G Rail Trail invasive species removal and native planting revitalization, the Municipality of North Perth’s Drain Erosion and Surface…

The editorial argues that Ontario consistently underfunds wildfire prevention and preparedness, with emergency firefighting costs routinely exceeding budgets in past years. It notes a recent $650-million plan to buy five helicopters and six water bombers as a preparedness investment, but contends it comes after fires have already stressed the system and…

The article reports that Ontario Nature released a new report on World Nature Conservation Day stating that Bill 5’s Species Conservation Act weakened protections by repealing the Endangered Species Act, creating gaps for 106 migratory birds, aquatic species, and species of Special Concern. It also notes that the act delegates protection of certain…