Environmentalists critical of Ontario government’s forestry plan

TORONTO – Environmentalists are asking Premier Doug Ford’s government not to proceed with a plan that would double logging volumes in Ontario over the next decade.

Groups including the David Suzuki Foundation, Ontario Nature and the Wildlands League say they oppose the plan because it will hurt the environment and a number of endangered species.

The government strategy proposes to increase logging on Crown-owned lands from 15 million cubic metres to 30 million cubic metres by 2030 to create more jobs in the sector.

A government spokeswoman says the province’s forest management plan has determined 30 million cubic metres is a sustainable harvest.

But environmentalists say the province has provided no evidence to prove that amount is sustainable and the government has limited feedback on its proposal.

Public consultations on the forestry strategy close Wednesday.

2:05 Ontario nursery warns millions of seedlings at risk of being destroyed because of government cuts