Evidence of meeting #14 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was plants.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
My short answer is that I am not aware of a comprehensive Canadian national impact assessment.
Executive Director, Invasive Species Council of B.C.
There are a number of provincial ones that have been done at the different scales, particularly in the prairies. B.C. has just done one also, but nothing that pulls it together. The references you have here are some of the strongest ones, Canada-wide.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Thank you both for that.
Dr. Quinney, I'm going to start with the broader question, and then I'm going to move in.
What would be the impacts of climate change on wildlife in Ontario?
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
As a biologist, and evolutionary biologist for that matter, by training, I would remind folks that over geological time, over evolutionary time, over ecological time, climates change.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
That’s not what I.... I appreciate that. I come from that similar background. I'm talking very specifically: with projected climate change, what are the projected impacts on wildlife in Ontario?
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
My short answer is it depends on the species, and it depends on the communities of species we're talking about. For example, in our aquatic ecosystems, yes, temperatures are incrementally rising, just as they are in terrestrial ones. In the province of Ontario, over the last 80 years, about three degrees Celsius has been documented.
The point is, that will favour some species, whether they be animal or plant species; it will provide an advantage to them. But it will provide a disadvantage to other species.
Liberal
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Sure. For example, on the aquatic side, it's quite common for anglers, for fishermen, to distinguish between cold-water species and warm-water species. Salmon and trout are examples of desired cold-water species to go fishing for, and on the warm-water side, bass species. You can see in a warmer-water regime that the bass species would be favoured over the cold-water trout or salmon species, as an example.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Have you looked at the economic impacts of climate change on invasive species?
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
My organization has not directly. But I can tell you this: we would be highly supportive of that type of quantification. Why? Because we're convinced that when we make explicit the direct cost to society of invasives, plus the potential opportunities lost, it will be clear to people, clear to society, and clear to government the priority this area should have in our collective attention.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Where do you see the three major gaps? I'll ask you to be as specific as possible. We're essentially asking, what is your wish list? What would you like to see in this report?
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
I can give you two of three. Maybe Rachel can add the third.
I've referred to resourcing of implementation of these plans, number one.
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Well, jeepers....
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
I can't give you a dollar figure. I would just refer you to the people who are most familiar with those action plans. I am convinced that the budgets associated with the plans and the elements could be made available to you in short order.
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
There needs to be a stronger role used by the federal government, given its regulatory and legislative abilities.
Conservative
Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB
Ms. Wallin, are there any success stories about actually removing an invasive species once it was established?
Executive Director, Invasive Species Council of B.C.
Depending on what you have as “established”, there are definitely examples of successes where the plant has entered British Columbia and has been removed.
Conservative
December 1st, 2011 / 12:40 p.m.
Executive Director, Invasive Species Council of B.C.
There is the yellow star thistle.
Conservative
