TORONTO -- Ontario's environmental watchdog is taking aim again at the governing Liberals, saying their new rules threaten the protection of endangered species.
New regulations brought in this year weaken the law that's supposed to protect threatened plants and animals, as well as their habitats, Environment commissioner Gord Miller said after releasing his latest report Wednesday.
By exempting some groups from obtaining permits, the full protection of the law no longer applies to activities like forestry operations, aggregate pits and quarries, hydroelectric dams and infrastructure construction, Miller said.
The regulations remove the right of the Ministry of Natural Resources to say no, he said.
"Every place, no matter how unique or ecologically important, will be open to activities with the potential to adversely affect species at risk. No place is untouchable or special."
The ministry has failed to do what's needed to make the law work since almost the very day they passed the Endangered Species Act in 2007, he said.
"The ministry has stalled recovery strategies, crafted meaningless government response statements, delayed habitat protection, mismanaged the permitting process and deliberately ignored public participation," Miller said.
"In the process, they have infuriated property owners, industry groups and members of the general public and brought the reputation of the Endangered Species Act into disrepute."
The Liberals may call the law the "gold standard" of environmental protection on the continent, but it's more of a tarnished bronze, he added.
The government also won't know if its rules are effective because those involved in such activities don't have to file any monitoring reports with the ministry, he said.
Last month, Miller criticized the government for changes that he said were dismantling other environmental protections and could have disastrous results for the province.
Premier Kathleen Wynne's government has "sold out" endangered species behind closed doors, said the Green party.
"The Wynne Liberals made a short-sighted and irresponsible decision to sell out protections for species at risk to the highest bidder," party leader Mike Schreiner said in a release.
"We should all be concerned that once again the Liberals have put corporate interests before the public good."
The Liberals should reverse their decision to gut the Act and bring in user fees to pay for environmental protection, as recommended by their own austerity adviser last year, he said.
