New to The Ontario Wetland Evaluation System? Read this helpful primer first.

Changes to OWES related to Bill 23 – the proposed More Homes Built Faster Act – undermine the wetland report card in 3 key ways:

3. The OWES changes introduce “re-evaluations” so that already-evaluated Provincially Significant Wetlands can be re-classified using the new designed-to-fail OWES.  OWES files have always been considered “open files” subject to updates, but some conservation authorities worry this change will put nearly all remaining wetlands on the chopping block.

 
Don’t let our valuable wetlands be destroyed to make way for sprawling, unaffordable single-family homes. Take action to #SaveOntarioWetlands!

• Submit a comment to the Environmental Registry of Ontario about the proposed changes to OWES by midnight November 24, 2022.
• Submit a comment to the standing committee reviewing Bill 23 by midnight November 17, 2022.
  

Learn more about the importance of small wetlands here

When Ontario introduced the science-based Ontario Wetland Evaluation System in 1984, it was truly pioneering. Called “OWES”, it was one of the first tools to measure the functions and values of wetlands to inform their management in North America. Ontario has remained a leader in wetland evaluations, updating OWES as new science and technologies became available.

OWES is pretty sophisticated, but the concept is simple: it’s a report card that a certified evaluator completes to grade a wetland in four “subjects”: Biological, Social, Hydrological, and Special Features.

• The Biological score reflects things like how big and productive the wetland is.
• The Social score covers economic values like wild rice or commercial bait fishing, as well as recreational values like hunting and bird watching. It can also count things like traditional Aboriginal uses and cultural heritage.
• The Hydrological score combines many ecosystem services.
  • Things like replenishing aquifers, preventing floods and shoreline erosion, mitigating climate change and purifying water.
  • Collectively, these ecosystem services have been valued by economists at billions of dollars each year in southern Ontario alone!
• The Special Features score captures how rare the wetland is – in some parts of Ontario 90% of wetlands have already been destroyed, so the remaining wetlands are considered precious.
  • It also captures wetlands providing habitat for threatened or endangered species.  Fully 1 in 5 of Ontario’s species at risk depend on wetlands for their survival. No wonder, given high historic rates of wetland destruction!
  • Wetlands are key habitat for waterfowl and other birds as well as spawning and nursery habitat for many fish. This can also raise a wetland’s Special Features score.

The local Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry office reviews the OWES report card.

• Any wetland that scores high enough gets designated as a Provincially Significant Wetland.  The capital letters tell you this is a big deal.
  
• Municipalities are responsible for incorporating Provincially Significant Wetlands into their Official Plans and ensuring that they are not developed or altered in accordance with the Provincial Policy Statement.

   
 Provincially Significant Wetlands are supposed to be protected and the benefits they provide to society, the economy and the environment preserved for the long-term benefit of Ontarians.

Read how proposed changes to OWES will affect wetlands in Ontario here.