Provincially Significant Wetlands no longer safe from development

The Government of Ontario is showing its true colours with recent moves to ride roughshod over protections for Provincially Significant Wetlands (PSWs). The first sign of trouble was a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) to demolish three PSWs on agriculturally zoned land in Vaughan so that a Walmart distribution facility could be constructed. The second was a decision to destroy a large coastal PSW in the City of Pickering to make room for a warehousing facility, again through an MZO. The next domino may be five wetlands within the provincially significant East Humber River Wetland Complex in Vaughan.

What is ...

The Government of Ontario is showing its true colours with recent moves to ride roughshod over protections for Provincially Significant Wetlands (PSWs). The first sign of trouble was a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) to demolish three PSWs on agriculturally zoned land in Vaughan so that a Walmart distribution facility could be constructed. The second was a decision to destroy a large coastal PSW in the City of Pickering to make room for a warehousing facility, again through an MZO. The next domino may be five wetlands within the provincially significant East Humber River Wetland Complex in Vaughan.

What is going on? Is the government declaring open season on PSWs?

Given the immense benefits that wetlands provide – flood mitigation, water filtration, carbon sequestration, recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat and more – provincial policy rightly prohibits development on those that are evaluated and deemed to be provincially significant. In fact, PSWs in southern Ontario enjoy the highest level of protection of any natural feature.

Such strict protection makes sense: A 2009 study commissioned by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry conservatively valued the many benefits provided by urban wetlands at $161,420 per hectare per year. Nevertheless, over 72 percent of wetlands in Southern Ontario have been destroyed since European settlers arrived, and the loss continues.

Unfortunately, developers and their pals on municipal councils have found a new way to circumvent wetland protections: MZOs. This tool, the current go-to of the Ontario government, allows the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to ignore provincial policy, bypass municipal planning processes and directly zone land for pet projects. The Minister does not have to give notice or consult with the public prior to issuing an MZO and there is no opportunity for appeal.

In cahoots with the Pickering Council, for example, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued an MZO to override policy protections for two large wetlands (each about 10 hectares) within the provincially significant Lower Duffins Creek Wetland Complex. That complex is among the largest remaining on the north shore of Lake Ontario in the Greater Toronto Area. Meanwhile, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is looking to downgrade the status of these wetlands and to engage the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority in offsetting (a tradeoff scheme that permits wetland destruction as long as ‘compensation’ is provided) – supposedly to mask the stench of the entire dismal affair.

The maddening thing is that there are large areas of serviced vacant and underutilized employment lands close to the proposed site which could accommodate the warehousing facility without the senseless destruction of a PSW.

Wetlands are critical to building community resilience to climate change impacts such as flooding. Public participation in land use decisions is also vital to ensure they are in the public interest rather than the interest of a few developers. Please join Ontario Nature in urging the Government of Ontario to respect and uphold protections for PSWs and to stop its misuse of MZOs.

Photo: Great blue heron © Ganesh Panneer CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

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Urge the Government of Ontario to respect and uphold protections for Provincially Significant Wetlands and to stop its misuse of Minister’s Zoning Orders

6,951 emails sent

Minister Steve Clark, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Cc: Kate Manson-Smith, Deputy Minister
Your local MPP

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Subject:

Dear Minister Clark,

I understand that the government has been working behind the scenes to issue Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZO) to override protections for provincially significant wetlands. This is unacceptable and must stop.

Wetlands benefit communities by helping to mitigate floods, purify drinking water, control erosion, sequester carbon, provide wildlife habitat and much more. A 2009 study commissioned by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry conservatively valued wetland benefits at over $161,000 per hectare per year in urban settings. With over 72 percent of wetlands already destroyed in southern Ontario, we simply cannot afford to lose any more.

I have learned that your Ministry worked with Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and the Pickering Council to circumvent policy protections for two large wetlands within the provincially significant Lower Duffins Creek Wetland Complex by issuing an MZO and seeking to downgrade the status of the wetland complex.

Minister Clark, I urge you to revoke this MZO and to reaffirm your government’s commitment to respecting and upholding protections for the remaining PSWs in Ontario. In planning matters, your focus should be on enhancing community resilience to climate change impacts and enabling public participation in land use decisions, not lining the pockets of a handful of developers by issuing MZOs and de-listing PSWs.

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