WCS Canada and Ecojustice just released a new report on Regional Strategic Environmental Assessment (R-SEA) -a tool that would help the newly elected Ontario government plan for big development and conservation decisions in Ontario's Far North. The region harbours globally-significant ecosystems (including the largest intact boreal forest left on the planet) and numerous First Nations communities, as well as potentially enormous mineral deposits. The government's current development project approval processes, or environmental assessments, are too narrowly focused and do not consider cumulative effects of multiple projects in the region, sustainable development with First Nations, or independent review of project proposals. To help Ontario balance various interests in the region carefully, a new approach in land use planning is needed, and our Dr. Cheryl Chetkiewicz and Dr. Anastasia Lintner of Ecojustice have laid out how R-SEA can be used for this in their new report.

Click here to see the report and here to see the press release.

See an article on the report by The Canadian Press.