In Ontario, everyone has an interest in, and indeed, the right to speak up for matters impacting the fundamentals of life: air, soil, water and wildlife. These rights are protected under the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993 which obligates the Ontario government to consult the public on matters of environmental significance using a platform called the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO).
Public participation in environmental decision making is a necessary exercise in democracy and transparency, particularly in an era when the provincial government is scrapping protections for the most vulnerable wildlife and habitats despite living in a global biodiversity crisis. Exercising your rights to consult on these matters and provide your input to the government is more important than ever.
The ERO acts as the main “hub” where the Ontario government gives the public notice on proposed changes to, or when creating new, environmental acts, regulations, policies or instruments. Most notices go through public consultation and follow three main stages:
Proposal
Review
Decision
When notices are in the proposal stage, it is important to read the details carefully to consider the range of impacts that may occur based on what is being proposed. The public is then given a minimum of 30 days to provide comments.
Here are five simple steps to add your comments to ERO postings:
Go to the posting you wish to comment on; you can use the search bar to enter the ERO number, keyword or phrase, if known
Click “Submit a Comment”.
Once the next page appears, you may log in. However, if you don’t have an account, select “Register for an account”– registering allows you to include attachments with your comments and receive notifications. Otherwise, if you’d like to remain anonymous, select “Comment without registering”.
Once the comment period is over, the government will begin its review stage, including a review of each comment submitted on the portal. Though participation does not count as a “vote” to be tallied, the more voices there are to speak up for the environment, the more likely the government is to take notice. Regardless, they must consider all relevant comments when making their decision.
When the government has made their decision, they will post a summary of the decision on the relevant ERO notice, including how they considered public input and whether there is an appeal process.
Ontario Nature regularly participates in the ERO consultation process to advocate for strong environmental policy and legislation. To learn more about ways you can advocate for nature, visit our resources webpage to find helpful advocacy toolkits. You can follow our advocacy efforts by signing our Action Alerts.
Kellsie Bonnyman is Ontario Nature's Protected Places Assessment Coordinator. She was thrilled to join Ontario Nature in 2023 to work alongside a team of passionate environmental advocates and educators. Kellsie spends her free time exploring the outdoors, playing board games and practicing guitar.
