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April 24, 2007
Earthroots, North Bay MNR union
rep respond to environment
commissioner's special report...
By Nugget Staff - http://www.nugget.ca
A
special report released by Environmental
Commissioner Gord Miller, an independent
government watchdog, reveals the effects of
persistent budget cuts to Ontario’s Ministry of
Natural Resources and Ministry of Environment,
say Earthroots activists.
Inadequate funding for the last 15 years has
left the government unable to properly enforce
its own environmental and stewardship
legislation, the organization stated.
RELEASE:
The MNR is responsible for managing Ontario’s
wilderness and wildlife. This requires the close
supervision of resource extraction activities,
the monitoring of fish and wildlife, as well as
the management of Ontario’s parks and protected
areas.
However, the MNR is unable to fulfill these
responsibilities due to chronic under-funding.
As a result, resources and wildlife laws are not
being enforced, and Ontario's parks are not
being adequately protected.
According to Dave
Fluri, the Ontario Public Service Employees
Union environmental campaigns officer, and MNR
biologist on leave of absence, “In our office,
we’ve lost technicians, conservation officers,
clerical staff and others. The front door has
been locked and people phoning the office are
now greeted by an automated system . . . This
Ministry needs an immediate cash injection.”
Since 1992 there has been a 30 per cent decrease
in the number of conservation officers, who are
responsible for protecting Ontario’s natural
resources. Without regular patrols, wildlife and
access violations are rampant.
There has also been a tremendous loss in the
operating budget for Ontario Parks.
“Park education and interpretative services have
been cut, and there are fewer staff to enforce
park rules,” explained Josh Garfinkel,
Earthroots Parks and Protected Areas Campaigner.
“Not only are recreational programs being
undermined, but so are park ecosystems and
public safety. This downward spiral must be
stopped before our parks system is destroyed.”
The MOE’s budget also has been slashed over the
past decade, and staff positions have been
eliminated. Under-funding has lead to the
back-logging of environmental violations
reports, and a dramatic reduction in enforcement
efforts. This puts Ontario’s natural environment
– and particularly the quality of its air and
water – at risk. According to the ECO's report,
"MOE staff are able to inspect only about two to
four percent of all regulated facilities per
year. So many facilities may go decades without
seeing an inspector... (there are) extremely
high rates of non-compliance across most
sectors."
“Cuts to the MNR and the MOE began under the
Harris government but have continued to escalate
under the McGuinty government,” noted Catharine
Grant, Earthroots Forest Campaigner. “The
Environmental Commissioner's report confirms
that neither the MNR nor the MOE have been able
to recover from Harris-style cuts. The current
government is exacerbating the situation.”
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