On March 30, Ontario replaced the Endangered Species Act with the new Species Conservation Act, the biggest change to the province's species-at-risk framework in nearly two decades. The old model required a case-by-case permit that the ministry reviewed and approved before work could start. The new model flips that. For most activities, a proponent registers in an online registry and can begin, provided they follow the rules set out in regulation, including a conservation plan prepared by a qualified professional. Permits are still required for a narrow set of higher-risk activities. The Act also narrows what counts as protected habitat, focusing on dwelling places such as dens and nests rather than the broader area a species uses to feed and travel.
Faster approvals are the selling point. The catch is that the responsibility, and the liability, shift onto proponents and their consultants. Under a register-first system there is no ministry sign-off standing between your assessment and your start date, which makes the quality and defensibility of that assessment the whole ballgame. There is also a firm deadline: for authorizations carried over from the old conditional-exemption regime, only administrative amendments will be allowed after December 31, 2026. If you hold ESA-era approvals, they need a review well before then. The practical implication is that early, defensible ecological work matters more than it did, not less. If you hold older approvals or are planning work that touches species at risk, we are glad to help you review your position before the deadline.
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We would love to hear more about you and the project that you have in mind.
“We find solutions that other consultants don’t see.”
Melony Catana, AScT
Practice Lead, Ecology & Environment
melony.catana@priengineering.com