Ontario’s new environment minister says he wants to strike a balance between protecting natural space and advancing the economy as the Ford government begins a major overhaul of project approvals.
Todd McCarthy, who became the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks last month, said he was considering economic outcomes as part of ensuring he is effectively completing his role.
“I want to measure outcomes,” he told reporters.
“What are the outcomes? Are we growing the economy and protecting the environment, or are we just standing still? We can’t afford to stand still. Those are my metrics.”
On Tuesday, Lt.-Gov. Edith Dumont delivered the Ford government’s speech from the throne, which focused on unlocking new economic growth by taking a “radically different approach” to major projects.
That approach ranges from tearing up interprovincial trade barriers to reducing assessments for new projects and cutting the time required to receive permits for projects like mining. Designations for some specific economic priority areas will also allow builders to reduce the assessment they need to undertake.
Critics have raised concerns that the new approach will mean protection for the environment or endangered species will be swept aside in favour of building faster.
McCarthy said he believed economic growth and strong environmental protection can coexist but continually emphasized the economy as part of his environmental plan.
“We cannot afford, as a province, to have unnecessary duplication, delays on anything,” he said.
“You can have a strong environmental assessment process, which you can streamline, you can protect species at risk and make meaningful contributions while building the economy.”
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said he was concerned the government would put its need for speed ahead of due diligence.
“It appears that the premier is going to completely discount and dismantle the environmental assessment process,” he said.
“This is serious for the people of Ontario … we can have business development, we can build homes that people can afford and we can do it in a way that doesn’t threaten us to unsafe weather events because we’ve paved over the nature that is so important, protecting us.”
Over the past seven years, the Ford government has faced major pushback from environmental groups over some of its biggest projects.
Highway 413, which is set to run from Milton to Vaughan, was frozen for years while the federal government probed Ontario’s environmental assessments.
Advocates also decried the government’s short-lived plan to build on the Greenbelt and its decision to cut down historic trees at Ontario Place and along new subway routes.
McCarthy said he would listen to feedback — but that the province’s economic performance was still a key consideration.
“The important thing for me to do is to listen and to act on the basis of a balanced approach to conservation and job creation and economic creation,” he said.