Doug Ford ramps up attack on science in budget

November 10, 2020

TORONTO, ON — Mike Schreiner released the following statement about changes to conservation authorities in the Fall Budget:

“Ford sees conservation authorities as an obstacle to his pro-sprawl agenda.

The Premier is overriding the laws and the people who protect provincially significant wetlands, woodland and farmland from reckless development projects.

This is yet another transfer of power from scientists, who understand how nature works, to Ford’s ministers, who are catering to deep-pocketed land speculators.

By changing the way that permits are granted, Ford is greasing the wheels for more highways, quarries and casinos where they don’t belong.

This backdoor attack is from the same playbook used to gut the Endangered Species Act, which gave the Minister discretion to decide which species deserve protection and which do not.

We should be very worried about this because Ford’s blueprint for a COVID recovery runs right through our environment and protections for people and communities.

Ontarians will be paying the costs for it when their basements flood, when the air is more polluted, and when our recreational areas are bulldozed.”

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