Good morning and thank you for the opportunity to speak with you about economic recovery from COVID-19.
My name is Janet Sumner. I'm the executive director for Wildlands League. Wildlands League is one of Canada's pre-eminent conservation organizations, collaborating with communities, governments, indigenous peoples, scientists and progressive industry to protect nature and find solutions that work.
We have been working in the public interest since 1968 imagining the future we need and the solutions to make it happen. Our vision is to protect at least half of Canada's land, fresh water and ocean to address both the climate crisis and the collapse of nature. In 1999, we helped usher in the single largest expansion of the Ontario parks system, adding 2.4 million hectares of protection. We are also known for connecting people to nature through such events as our annual Paddle the Rouge.
For the second year running, the World Economic Forum annual risk report named environmental problems in the top tier list of fears for the economy, specifically, climate change and biodiversity loss. A healthy economic recovery will depend on growing the economy but also reducing the economic risks due to climate change and biodiversity loss. A healthy natural world, therefore, is the very foundation for a healthy economic recovery.
For most Canadians, a healthy natural world requires taking action to rebuild and restore nature where we live. Scientists and health care providers are urging, and even prescribing, that Canadians get out into nature to maintain mental, emotional and physical health during this pandemic.
Whether young or old, new to the country or multigenerational, communities have expressed the need for more access to nature. We must therefore invest in creating more urban and near-urban protection; regenerating wetlands and restoring endangered species habitat; planting trees and rebuilding the natural infrastructure in our cities that is key to improving flood management and flood reduction; creating ecological corridors, such as Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System, and ensuring there are more opportunities for communities to interact with nature, as on the Trans Canada Trail; and working with the agricultural, ranching and rural communities on restoration projects, such as the work that is done by ALUS in Alberta, Ontario and elsewhere.
In Scarborough, where I live, Rouge National Urban Park is close to home. Last fall, the superintendent for Rouge National Urban Park took my team on a walk, taking all COVID-19 safety precautions into account. We toured where they plan to restore the wetland and bring back the capacity of the Rouge to manage low- and high-water events.
By our own conservative estimates, this project will result in more than more 25 direct jobs per year. It will require engagement with nine first nations in partnership and with an urban design consulting firm to get the project design right; engagement in public consultation, with communications expertise; architectural renderings; Parks Canada staff to lead and do; Toronto and Region Conservation Authority staff; phragmites removal teams and expertise—the Rouge is choking in this invasive species—construction crews for the new boardwalk; mechanics to maintain equipment and machines; wildlife specialists; interpretation and education staff; manufacturers of decking and specialized material. All of that is in addition to the new wardens, beach patrol and 100 summer students for monitoring and invasive species control. There have been more than 100 projects with farmers working to address hydrology further upstream. In the last four years, more than 200 jobs have been created.
This is just one snapshot. Green Infrastructure Ontario estimated that 60,000 jobs could be created by investing in the building of natural infrastructure, and if we were to align systems and efforts, up to 140,000 jobs in Ontario could be a stretch target.
It is therefore the recommendation of Wildlands League that Canada invest in rebuilding the natural world where we live as part of a healthy economic recovery. It is time that we put nature at the heart of economic recovery.
I will conclude with one more example. Windsor, Ontario, is the flood capital of Canada. The risk to homes and municipal pocketbooks is exacerbated by climate change. It is also a biodiversity hotspot, with a high diversity of species and a high number of endangered species and little in the way of protection. There is less than 1% protected in southwestern Ontario, with pressure for more development.
Windsor is a perfect example of how rebuilding the natural world would benefit the quality of life, the economy and nature. If we were to build more natural infrastructure, doing so could manage water flows throughout the city, protect the Ojibway Shores complex as a national urban park and establish ecological corridors that stretch out to the surrounding rural areas and work with the farming community.
I'm going to skip to my last points.
This is not isolated in Ontario, because rebuilding nature where we live works in Saskatoon, Vancouver, Halifax, Montreal, Edmonton and Ottawa. If we can generate more than 100,000 jobs in Ontario by building with nature, we can do even more than that across Canada. Then think beyond that to the landscapes of regenerating seismic lines across B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and the Northwest Territories.
Thank you very much for your time today.