The release of the Auditor General’s follow-up report on their 2022 audit on Urban Flood Risks in Ontario revealed alarming findings about the current and future state of the province’s wetlands. Despite the immense value of Ontario’s wetlands as nature-based climate solutions, including benefits like flood mitigation, none of the recommendations involving the restoration or improved protection of wetlands will be implemented or are no longer applicable. In fact, of the 25 flood-risk recommended actions issued to ministries, only three have been fully implemented, and none of them relate to green spaces.
Zero Effort Made to Protect Wetlands
Despite extensive research highlighting the importance of wetlands in mitigating floods in urban regions, the provincial government has taken little action to protect these vital ecosystems. This is particularly concerning as the province has already lost over 72% of its wetlands. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has stated that it is not considering any new wetland protection policies or plans, or any further changes to the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System, which was significantly weakened in 2023. The MNR also refused to establish a new wetland conservation strategy with actionable targets for protection and restoration, which once existed but was quietly abandoned in 2021.
Key recommendations to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) from the 2022 audit included tracking and reporting on the percentage of area covered by pervious surfaces like wetlands in each municipality and updating their land-use planning and policies to include limits on development to improve wetland functionality in flood mitigation. MMAH expressed that these requests are not within their mandate, even though they are responsible for land-use planning and supporting communities affected by natural disasters.
Degradation of Wetland Protection in the Province
The lack of wetland protections does not come as a surprise, as there has been a continued weakening of wetland conservation policies in the province. Since 2020, a series of legislative and policy changes have prioritized development over the preservation of wetlands and other ecologically sensitive areas.
A timeline of legislative and policy changes which have weakened wetland protection in the province from 2020 to 2024.
Wetlands are Needed More Than Ever
The increased impacts of climate change have resulted in three “100-year storms” since 2013, a phenomenon that should only naturally occur once per century. The most recent 100-year storm hit the Greater Toronto Area on July 16, 2024. The result was $1 billion in flood damages. More than 150,000 people were left without power and 14 individuals needed to be rescued from their submerged vehicles on the Don Valley Parkway. Having more wetlands in these urban areas would have significantly reduced the damages, as wetlands are expected to reduce flood related damages up to 38 percent in urban areas. Even a wetland as small as two hectares can retain water runoff from an area 70 times its size.
Ontario still has a long way to go in restoring provincial wetland protections to ensure that the people, plants and animals that depend on them can continue to thrive.
Ontario Nature will continue to advocate for the protection of wetland ecosystems across the province, and we invite you to join us by signing our Action Alert.
Abiraam joined Ontario Nature in 2024 and advocates for wetland protection in the province. Passionate about environmental conservation, he is dedicated to preserving vital ecosystems which support biodiversity and benefit communities.
2 Replies to “Auditor General Exposes Ontario Government’s Disregard for Wetlands”
When most people think about Climate Change, they have no idea what to expect. We, the human population, have never gone through anything like it before. No one really knows what to expect. Our planet is warming at an alarming rate and no one wants to take responsibility for helping to prevent it. The people in government positions aren’t paying attention to the warning signs and are preparing to eliminate wetlands that can control the effects of severe flooding during and after the storms that will keep on occurring.
We must work with Climate Change and help protect everything that will be affected by it. If we cover ground with asphalt, there won’t be any drainage happening and flooding will wipe out everything in its path.
The California fires should be acknowledged due to the lack of water. The people are experiencing the destruction of everything in the path of these destructive fires. California isn’t the only area that has been hit. We’ve had fires in Canada that have destroyed so much. Fires and drought are part of Climate Change and we can’t hide this fact any longer. Ontario’s Provincial Government must take positive action to protect the environment and not allow greedy politicians to destroy it.
It is soo disheartening to have to ask out GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS to learn , get educated on the basic 101 science of conservation of our ecosystems in the “21 st century “. It is indication of how “lost” we are with respect for mother nature and the CTITICAL importance of protecting our Natural resources that are a GIFT from Mother Nature in sustaining our HEALTHY communities. IT IS GREED AND IGNORANCE, DENIAL THAT PREVAILS OVER RESPECT FOR OUR PLANET. I, AS A SENIOR CITIZEN, FIND THIS APPALLING AND UNFORGIVABLE CORRUPTION destroying the world for my grandchildren. 💔💔💔💔💔😥😥😥😥😥
When most people think about Climate Change, they have no idea what to expect. We, the human population, have never gone through anything like it before. No one really knows what to expect. Our planet is warming at an alarming rate and no one wants to take responsibility for helping to prevent it. The people in government positions aren’t paying attention to the warning signs and are preparing to eliminate wetlands that can control the effects of severe flooding during and after the storms that will keep on occurring.
We must work with Climate Change and help protect everything that will be affected by it. If we cover ground with asphalt, there won’t be any drainage happening and flooding will wipe out everything in its path.
The California fires should be acknowledged due to the lack of water. The people are experiencing the destruction of everything in the path of these destructive fires. California isn’t the only area that has been hit. We’ve had fires in Canada that have destroyed so much. Fires and drought are part of Climate Change and we can’t hide this fact any longer. Ontario’s Provincial Government must take positive action to protect the environment and not allow greedy politicians to destroy it.
It is soo disheartening to have to ask out GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS to learn , get educated on the basic 101 science of conservation of our ecosystems in the “21 st century “. It is indication of how “lost” we are with respect for mother nature and the CTITICAL importance of protecting our Natural resources that are a GIFT from Mother Nature in sustaining our HEALTHY communities. IT IS GREED AND IGNORANCE, DENIAL THAT PREVAILS OVER RESPECT FOR OUR PLANET. I, AS A SENIOR CITIZEN, FIND THIS APPALLING AND UNFORGIVABLE CORRUPTION destroying the world for my grandchildren. 💔💔💔💔💔😥😥😥😥😥