The Ford government has announced a $2-million investment to help municipalities, Indigenous communities, conservation authorities and local organizations stop the spread of harmful invasive species in the Niagara area.
The investment is being made through the Invasive Species Action Fund. According to local Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff, the province’s $2-million investment will support 112 projects, create more than 160 local jobs, and engage over 3,000 volunteers. It will help support a Lake Ontario Surveillance Project, managed by Landscape Ontario.
The grant is expected to enable Landscape Ontario to expand early detection and monitoring efforts for emerging invasive forest and nursery pests across Niagara. Examples include the spotted lanternfly, hemlock woolly adelgid, beech leaf disease, oak wilt, and elm zigzag sawfly.
“This provincial funding for early detection of forest and nursery pets in Niagara – in partnership with the Invasive Species Centre and Landscape Ontario – is critical to protecting our regional land and water resources from invasive species,” said Oosterhoff. “This investment will not only protect our natural environment but support our local grape and wine industry and other agricultural commodities, as well as preserving green space and agritourism attractions across our region.”
Invasive species can impact various elements of the natural environment, including lakes, land, forests, and communities. They are the second greatest threat to biodiversity worldwide. The province of Ontario has the most invasive species of any province in Canada, which are responsible for an estimated $3.6 billion of impact each year to forestry, fisheries, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, and recreation. They can limit access to outdoor spaces and even impact human health.
“The Invasive Species Centre is proud to partner with the Ministry of Natural Resources to empower community action across Ontario,” said Colin Cassin, Executive Director of the Invasive Species Centre. “These projects build the knowledge, partnerships and capacity needed to address invasive species now and protect our lands and waters into the future.”
The Ontario government has committed a total of $16 million over three years to fight invasive species province-wide.
“The best way to protect Ontario from invasive species is by preventing them from spreading,” said Minister of Natural Resources Mike Harris Jr. “That is why our government continues to invest and give communities the tools they need to keep our waterways and forests safe for families across Ontario to enjoy.”
Jay Goldberg is the Canadian Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. He previously served as the Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and a policy fellow at the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Jay holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
