Provincial Wetland Policy Dries Up Northern Economic Opportunities

October 2023 | Don McConnell and Laura McConnell

Wetlands play an essential role in water filtering, flood prevention, and serve as a habitat for many species. Currently, provincial policies are in place to preserve wetlands, but at what cost? In NPI's latest report, authors Don McConnell and his daughter Laura set out to examine if the current province-wide rules protecting wetlands disproportionately affect Northern Ontario's economic growth. For Northern Ontario to flourish both environmentally and economically, the report suggests that local communities should be given more decision-making power in identifying wetlands that are important to protect, so that economic growth and development can happen alongside environmental protection.

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