SPECIES AT RISK PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS SELECTED

For Immediate Release
August 15, 2008

SPECIES AT RISK PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS SELECTED
McGuinty Government Appoints Public Committee To Advise On Protection Of Species At Risk

NEWS

The McGuinty government has appointed a provincial committee to provide advice on protecting species at risk.

The committee includes top experts in resource use, land use or environmental sectors, who are not part of the Ontario public sector and who have a good knowledge of species at risk protection and recovery.

The Species at Risk Program Advisory Committee is one of two provincial committees established under Ontario's new Endangered Species Act to provide expertise and advice on the protection and recovery of species at risk and implementation of the new act. The other is the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario, which is responsible for assessing and classifying the status of species that may be at risk, based on the best available scientific information available.

QUOTES

"I look forward to working with the advisory committee on ensuring that we protect and develop recovery plans for our species at risk," said Natural Resources Minister Donna Cansfield. "Conserving our province's rich biodiversity is a priority for the government, and the members of this committee will help ensure we do it right."

QUICK FACTS

• Ontario is home to more than 30,000 species, of which more than 180 are currently identified as being at risk.
• Ontario's new Endangered Species Act took effect on June 30, 2008, making the province a North American leader in species at risk protection and recovery.

LEARN MORE

• See a list of the members of the committee with a brief biography.
• Find out more about Ontario's new Endangered Species Act (ontario.ca/speciesatrisk).
• Learn more about how you can protect species at risk in Ontario.

Related Information

Backgrounder: ADVISORY COMMITTEE SUPPORTS ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

For More Information

Media Enquiries

Stefanie Million, Minister's Office, 416-314-2198

Jolanta Kowalski, Communications Services Branch, 416-314-2106

ontario.ca/natural-resources-news

General Enquiries

Natural Resources Information Centre
1-800-667-1940
TTY 1-866-686-6072 (Hearing Impaired)