Species at Risk

Here is the presentation made to local contractors regarding Species at Risk in April, 2013.

The Township of Georgian Bay aims to make information about the Endangered Species Act (ESA), 2007 more accessible to those who are directly implicated by its provisions. To that aim, several documents have been compiled below to summarize the vast amount of information that is the ESA.

For each proposed building project...

1. Work through the habitat form on the second page of the Township’s ESA fact sheet and gather the relative information recommended in MNR’s pre-assessment checklist.

2. Call MNR as early in the design/building process as possible to discuss potential species or habitat concerns, and how they can be avoided. That is the only way you can ensure compliance under the ESA, 2007.

Parry Sound District MNR
Species at Risk Biologist
705-773-4205

3. Work through the remainder of the ESA permit process if recommended by MNR.

There are several ways in which landowners and development proponents can work toward ensuring their projects comply with the ESA when working within the Township of Georgian Bay boundaries:

• Review the summary information on the ESA provided above along with more detailed information offered on MNR’s website, including the list of protected species, information on protecting species at risk habitat and specific habitat regulations.
   
• Review the species at risk habitat guide and species at risk in the Parry Sound District list to become familiar with the species protected under the ESA and important habitat (not necessarily protected habitat that is described within links in the previous point) found within the Township of Georgian Bay.
   
• Review the general guidelines to avoid harming species and habitat protected under the ESA; chapters two and three of the Life on the Bay Guide; and Best Management Practices for Public Work’s Departments to create better informed project plans.
   
• Become familiar with the ESA permit process.

The Fact Sheet about Ontario’s Endangered Species Act (ESA), 2007: Implications for Landowners when Building summarizes your responsibilities as a landowner under the ESA. A more full description of the implications of the ESA, 2007 for landowners has been developed by the MNR, and is summarized here:

• Landowners and development proponents are solely responsible for ensuring they are compliant under the ESA when conducting new development or land use activities.
   
• The Township does not have the authority to consider Species at Risk within their decision to issue building permits, and therefore, have no responsibility to ensure projects comply with the ESA.
   
• The Township is responsible for ensuring their own land use activities comply with the ESA.
   
• MNR is available to advise municipalities, landowners or development proponents on how to avoid being in contravention of the ESA and when authorizations may be required.
   
• The Township continues to be responsible for ensuring their Planning Act (PA) decisions are consistent with the habitat protection direction set out in the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) and ensuring they have adequate information about the potential for at-risk species and their habitat before making a PA decision.
   
• MNR will continue to provide technical advice and approve what is significant habitat for endangered and threatened species for purposes of the PA and PPS

Information regarding an appropriate level of ecological site assessment is described in MNR’s Natural Heritage Reference Manual (2010).

Assistance for this project was provided by the Government of Ontario                                                                                              

Information was compiled by the Muskoka Conservancy