Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services

Chapter 13: Environment and Natural Resources
Chapter 13: Environment and Natural Resources
Need for Transformation
Most responsibility for protecting the province’s environmental and natural heritage falls
to two ministries: the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and Ministry of Natural
Resources (MNR).
As recently noted by the Environmental <strong>Commission</strong>er of Ontario, the core business of
these two ministries has become much more complex since their inception. And though they
must deal with expanding responsibilities that address entirely new environmental issues,
their overall capacity — financial resources, staffing levels and in-house expertise — has not
kept pace. 1
A new paradigm for environmental and natural resource programs and services is desperately
needed, shaped by factors of both supply and demand. On the supply side, the fiscal restraint
we recommend in this report will further limit the funding available to meet these ministries’
legislated and policy-driven obligations.
At the same time, demand for continued oversight of environmental approvals, compliance
and natural resource stewardship is set to rise. For example, development of the Ring of Fire
(an area of northern Ontario with potentially large deposits of valuable minerals such as
chromite, nickel, copper and platinum) will put added stress on the approval and compliance
resources of several provincial ministries. It will also demand greater collaboration among
provincial ministries and other levels of government. In addition, increased demand for
renewable energy will place further pressure on the province’s approvals and compliance
processes, such as the Renewable Energy Approvals (REAs) that directly support the
province’s Green Energy and Green Economy Act.
Transformational changes are essential to improve how government operates in this area.
We recommend several measures that would improve effectiveness and efficiency.
1 Environmental <strong>Commission</strong>er of Ontario, Annual Report 2010–11, p. 81.
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