Conservation and prosperity in the North

Conservation and prosperity in the North

Ontario’s northern boreal region is beyond most of our mental maps. Bigger than California and found north of the 50th parallel, it is a region of as much water as forests. It is home to 36 First Nations communities, many rare or endangered species (including Ontario’s own population of polar bears), a massive store of carbon in peat lands, and perhaps some of the best mineral potential in the world. It is 99 per cent “undeveloped” now, but like everywhere on Earth, change is coming.

Last July, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced he would protect at least 50 per cent – some 225,000 square kilometres of this region. The premier said he would do this in a way that protected ecosystems, stored carbon, reflected the aspirations of aboriginal communities, and set the stage for sustainable economic development. He also said he would enshrine this new planning approach in legislation.

Earlier this month, the premier kept his promise when the province introduced the Far North planning and protection act.

As the government recesses and heads north to hold committee hearings that will consider amendments to the new act, there are important sources to look to for advice. First and foremost are aboriginal communities themselves. They have long wished to lead and control planning within their traditional territories. Their ability to share in development of the North’s resources, while securing a place for their culture and lands, is long overdue.

First Nations’ aspirations have some important support, especially through the work of the Far North Advisory Council, on which both of us served. This body, comprised of industry and environmental stakeholders – a grouping not always known for their ready agreement – worked for several months to produce a concise, action-oriented set of recommendations for the Ontario government on how to implement the premier’s commitment. Our report calls for real decision- making power to be vested in a new planning body that will ensure aboriginal leadership. It also advises that communities must share in the benefits that come from both the development and protection of the Far North’s riches.

It is not easy to merge the needs, hopes and aspirations of a community into a land-use plan. But we have seen the unfortunate results of projects that have been approved without such planning. Conflicts between aboriginal people and new business ventures have been all too common.

Completing plans before development starts offers greater security for business, communities and ecosystems alike. Industries such as mining are not interested in going where they are not wanted. Experience shows that projects proceed to approval and operation more quickly when communities are part of the planning process and when the needs of ecosystems are addressed up front. Further, the products that come from the forests or lands where communities approve resource development plans are more likely to be accepted by a marketplace increasingly concerned about social and environmental performance.

When MPPs visit northern communities this summer, we expect they will hear strong support for legislation that will deliver a new relationship between aboriginal people and the Ontario government. From our perspective, effective legislation will require aboriginal leadership and participation in both community and regional planning bodies. It needs to ensure effective and accountable decision-making. And it must make funding available for implementation.

With the remarkable consensus that now exists across such different sectors as miners and conservation groups, we are confident that the premier can deliver a precedent-setting law that enables a positive new future for Ontario’s Far North.