City Council has approved North Bay’s submission to the province on a review of the Endangered Species  Act.

But not without adding public presentations from city council meetings and the consultation process at the last minute.

Those were not on the original motion though and several members of the public made presentations to that effect last night before council made the additions.

Lena Ross says the public has been clear throughout this process that they don’t want changes to the act.

“They wanted accountabilty and transparency and a reduction of protection for endangered species,” she says.

Councillor Joanne Brousseau says the report suggests developers who must get their projects through the planning act process and the Ministry of Natural Resources who can put up roadbloacks due to the Endangered Species Act be on the same page from the start.

“Not once half of the subdivision or the whole subdivision is built. Then the MNR stops them and says you’re infringing on a turtle habitat. It’s too late the damage has been done to the turtle habitat,” Brousseau says.

Councillor Scott Robertson says it’s important that everyone’s heard.

“I think the city report is a pretty solid representation of the values and struggles of our community. When you include the public comments it will be an important submission,” he says.

One of the presenters Yann Roberts says it was good council added public presentations in the city’s submission but there are still problems in the report.

“With a little more work they could have made something more of us can agree with. Right now, the uncertainties are stronger than common ground,” Roberts says.

All submissions must be in to the province by Monday.

Filed under: Endangered Species Act, Johanne Brousseau, North Bay City Council, Scott Robertson