Provincial Auditor Confirms Concerns about Ontario's Public Forests
From Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS)
November 23, 2000
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA — Following fast on the heels of the 1999 Annual Report of the Environmental Commissioner, a Special Report of the Provincial Auditor has also found that the Ministry of Natural Resources cannot assure the public that our forests are being managed sustainably.
Eric Peters, The Provincial Auditor, submitted a Special Report to the Ontario Legislature today. In it, he examined the Forest Management program of the Ministry of Natural Resources (as well as the programs of other government agencies). The report summarizes the problems identified and makes recommendations to fix them.
“This is the second provincial audit in a month to tell us that we should be worried about what’s up in the woods,” says Tim Gray, executive director of the Wildlands League. “Our organization’s field audits reinforce the auditor’s concerns that enforcement, compliance, and public reporting are serious issues that require the urgent attention of the Ministry of Natural Resources,” he adds.
“This report shows the Ontario government must take immediate action. Ontario”s forests, forest industries and communities could be at risk if we cannot show the world that our forests are being properly looked after. Increasingly, the world’s citizens are looking for proof that the wood that they buy comes from places where sustainability can be demonstrated. Ontario exports almost all its forest products and therefore needs to make more than claims to sustainability … the proof must be readily available.”
The full report of the Provincial Auditor is available at:http://www.gov.on.ca/opa and the MNR specific findings are attached to this release.
- 30 -
For more information, contact:
Tim Gray
Executive Director, CPAWS Wildlands League
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) - Wildlands League
(416) 971-9453
tim@wildlandsleague.org
Web site: http://www.wildlandsleague.org