e-232 (Protection of the environment)

Petition to the House of Commons

• Ojibway Prairie (Windsor, Ontario) has the largest provincially protected tallgrass prairie, part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, a provincially significant wetland, ANSI, and in Canada’s most biodiverse regions;
• Hosting 4000 species (160 at risk), over 21 endangered/threatened (10 are bird species), and some unique to Canada. Many species listed in the Species at Risk Act and many of the 233 birds protected in the Migratory Birds Convention Act;
• Windsor incurs the highest smog rates, lowest natural areas (5.55%), and wetlands (0.37%) provincially. These percentages are significantly below Environment Canada’s habitat guidelines. Most natural areas and wetland restoration opportunities are located by/within Ojibway;
• Ojibway Park and Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve are adjacent to a commercial development and Black Oak Park adjacent to the new international bridge plaza. These ecosystems are globally ranked G1 and G2 (less than 5 and 20 occurrences). The developments will degrade Windsor’s little remaining biodiversity. Healthy communities conserve biodiversity and consider climate change; and
• Its heightened protection provides opportunities to assist Canada’s international and national goals: 2020 Biodiversity Goals, using gateway communities to increase eco-tourism within Parks Canada, expanding National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries.