The unravelling of environmental safeguards for birds

What the unravelling of environmental safeguards means for the birds we love

Organizations across Canada, including Birds Canada, are raising concerns about the direction the federal government is taking, following a series of decisions that weaken environmental protections. This is far from the first time that the health of the environment has been misleadingly portrayed as a barrier to economic progress. But over the last few weeks, a succession of worrisome policy decisions has been made which will have compounding impacts on the birds we all love. Alongside similar initiatives in some provinces, these decisions are pushing our ecosystems—the environments we depend on—too far. For ourselves, and for the birds, we must do more. We must do better.

Backsliding on climate leadership 

According to the Canadian Climate Institute, “Canada’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 is now firmly out of reach”. This, at a time when climate change is already having a significant impact on so many bird populations. Here are just a few examples:  

• Arctic-nesting shorebirds like Red Knot and Hudsonian Godwit are undergoing steep declines. These birds make long and challenging migrations, each travelling 30,000 km annually, returning to the Arctic to take advantage of insects and plants that emerge within a short window of time. Climate change is altering the suitability of breeding habitats and the timing of food pulses, so food may not be there when the birds need it most.   
• As global temperatures rise, high-elevation species have begun migrating upslope. For birds already living near mountaintops like Bicknell’s Thrush or White-tailed Ptarmigan, there will simply be no further uphill to go, leading to shrinking ranges and local extinctions. 
• More frequent freeze-thaw cycles are impacting species which cache food in the Fall, like the iconic Canada Jay. Comparable to plugging and unplugging the fridge in our own homes, these cycles are spoiling more of the birds’ stored supplies, which is impacting survival and reproduction. 
• Also worsened by climate change is an increase in frequency and severity of wildfires, which are driving habitat losses for birds that rely on mature boreal forests like Cape May Warbler, Brown Creeper, and Canada Warbler.  

Paving the way for development projects: there’s fast, and then there’s reckless  

In addition to the climate setbacks, a set of proposals have been put forward by the federal government which would remove environmental safeguards meant to protect Canadians and nature. These include cart-before-the-horse approvals of projects before they’ve even been properly assessed, creation of “Federal Economic Zones” that exempt infrastructure projects from environmental regulations, and allowing projects that would increase the risk of extinction of species at risk. All this is compounding a similar unraveling of environmental rules occurring in some provinces. Here’s a look at a few development cases and how a lack of environmental safeguards, both provincially and federally, could lead to worse outcomes.  

• Roberts Bank Terminal 2 is a projected megaport facility in a globally significant Key Biodiversity Area south of Vancouver.  It was approved by the federal government in 2023, following an environmental assessment. That assessment identified significant adverse and cumulative impacts, which informed the imposing of 370 legally binding conditions to protect the environment, required a $150M environmental guarantee, and included several provisions specific to birds such as Western Sandpiper and Barn Owl.  (All of which may be insufficient to protect the Western Sandpiper). Under the proposed new rules, an equivalent mega-project could be pre-approved through a regional assessment with limited understanding of the risks specific to the project and with exemptions from key environmental safeguards, thereby greatly increasing the risks to birds. 
• In October last year in Ontario, developers were convicted and fined for damaging the habitat of a threatened bird, the Chimney Swift – which Birds Canada works diligently to monitor and protect across several provinces. Ontario has since gutted its Endangered Species Act and eliminated protections for at-risk birds and their habitats, leaving no consequences for this type of habitat destruction. It’s disheartening to know this same conviction could not have occurred under today’s rules. 

Together, we are Canada’s Voice for Birds 

There’s no denying it – the world is changing fast, and at Birds Canada, we understand what’s at stake for the birds we love if governments continue down this path. Sadly, climate change and the ongoing loss of biodiversity will not pause while governments focus on “other priorities”.  

Are more effective and streamlined environmental assessments possible? Sure they are, and Birds Canada is directly contributing to making that happen. Take our NatureCounts platform, one of the largest biodiversity databases in the world. By making over 380 million bird records freely available, including 19 million species at risk records, NatureCounts helps regulators and industries make better decisions – faster. With the tools we provide, users can easily identify which species might be present in a project area. Empowered with that information, they can be proactive about development choices or mitigation efforts, saving time and safeguarding sensitive species. This invaluable resource is already used by hundreds of environmental consultants in Canada. In some cases, it can eliminate the need for field studies altogether, streamlining and reducing the costs of impact assessments.  

In announcing its proposed changes to further fast-track development, the federal government launched an expedient 30-day consultation period, vowing that “all feedback received will be incorporated into determining next steps and developing any legislative or regulatory proposals”. We believe it is important to put our disappointment on the record, which we are doing this week. We will continue to work with like-minded partners and supporters like you to push back against this unravelling of environmental safeguards. We know that when we work together, we can turn the tide for conservation efforts. Together, more than ever, we are Canada’s voice for birds.  

Signed, 

Patrick Nadeau 
President and CEO

How you can support Birds:

• Share our content to help raise awareness, and that of other organizations supporting this critical voice. 
• Learn more about the birds that are impacted by climate change, and ask your elected officials how they are prioritizing the fight against climate change.  
  • Marine Bird Mass Mortality Events as an Indicator of the Impacts of Ocean Warming 
  • Freeze-Thaw Spoiling of Cached Food Threatens Canada Jays 
  • With help from Citizen Scientists, researchers investigate how climate change will impact ptarmigan in BC 
  • Birds in the line of fire: how boreal birds respond to forest fires 
• Listen to podcast episodes about Red Knot, Bicknell’s Thrush, Leach’s Storm-Petrel, and Arctic nesting birds like Hudsonian Godwit.  
• Learn more about what these decisions are and how they impact the environment. 
• Participate in our volunteer programs that monitor birds, so we can continue to use data to inform policies and support environmental assessments.  
• Read the State of Canada’s Birds Report that helps identify species that are in most urgent need of support and understand how our activities may further impact them. This knowledge is the direct result of tens of thousands of Canadians sharing their observations with us through our volunteer programs.