Published plans and annual reports 2017-2018: Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

Ministry overview

Mandate

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is responsible for protecting and sustainably managing the province’s diverse natural resources to support Ontario’s environmental sustainability, economic prosperity and quality of life.

MNRF vision

A healthy and naturally diverse environment that enables and contributes to sustainable development in Ontario.

MNRF mission

Manage our natural resources in an ecologically sustainable way to ensure that they are available for the enjoyment and use of future generations.

The ministry fulfils its mandate through a broad range of legislation, policies and programs that reflect its diverse responsibilities; the ministry is responsible for, or has responsibilities under, 48 statutes.

The ministry works with a wide variety of partners and other ministries to meet current resource-based needs while at the same time ensuring that natural resources will be available for future generations.

To achieve its mandate commitments and deliver its diverse programs, the ministry:

• monitors, researches and plans the management and use of Ontario’s natural resources;
• develops legislation, policies and programs to regulate the conservation or sustainable use of Ontario’s natural resources;
• delivers direct services to the public and industry; and
• protects the public from natural disasters or occurrences, such as floods and forest fire.

The ministry continues to look for opportunities to drive further internal efficiencies by modernizing processes and functions, supporting longer-term improvements in program efficiency and effectiveness, and through potential horizontal streamlining. To best serve the interests of Ontarians, the ministry is committed to transforming and modernizing public services to ensure their sustainability, improve outcomes, and help meet the government’s fiscal commitments.

The ministry’s key activities include:

Biodiversity management

• Provide provincial leadership and oversight in strengthening Ontario’s biodiversity. This includes the management of fish and wildlife resources; species at risk; fish culture, stocking and aquaculture; resource monitoring, assessment and allocation; research, fish health and control of pathogens; conservation officer delivery of natural resource and public safety law enforcement; and promoting fishing and hunting opportunities.

Natural heritage and protected area management

• Provide leadership and delivery in the management and protection of natural heritage in Ontario. This includes identifying significant natural heritage features and landscapes and determining effective ways to protect them, including the establishment of provincial parks and conservation reserves and working with Indigenous communities in the Far North on establishing dedicated protected areas; policy to influence the development of municipal official plans and bylaws; identification and confirmation of Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest; planning and management of natural heritage systems; providing sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities and education on natural heritage; delivery of the Ontario Parks program, including provincial parks operations and providing tourism opportunities; and research.

Crown land, water, and non-renewable resource management

• Provide leadership and delivery in the management of Crown lands, water resources, and non-renewable resources. This includes being accountable for the planning, management and disposition of Crown lands in Ontario; for the management and regulation of dam and other in-water infrastructure, and water resources including the protection of the Great Lakes; for the management and regulation of surveys and the surveying profession within the province; and for the protection and extraction of aggregate, oil, gas and salt resources in Ontario.

Renewable energy

• Support the provincial commitment to renewable energy and facilitate the availability of Crown land for renewable energy projects, including water, wind, solar and bio-energy.

Forestry

• Provide leadership and oversight to support the sustainable use of forests for a healthy forest products sector and thriving forest-dependent communities. Management of Ontario’s forests includes policy and program development; intergovernmental co-operation on national forestry initiatives; ensuring a healthy, viable forest industry in Ontario, and fostering a competitive business environment in the forestry sector; Crown forest management planning, renewal and protection from pests; and monitoring, auditing, information management and public reporting.

Public safety and natural hazard emergency response

• Prevent loss of human life and injury; prevent and mitigate losses, economic disruption and social disruption due to forest fires, floods and other natural resource emergencies. This includes planning and delivery of the ministry’s emergency management program, and aviation services for the Ontario government.

Land and resources information and information technology cluster

• Provide leadership and program delivery in the development and application of information and information technology for five client ministries: Natural Resources and Forestry; Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation; Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Environment and Climate Change; and Northern Development and Mines. Ensure the delivery of an integrated Information Technology infrastructure and solutions to facilitate and streamline government operations through electronic service delivery and enhance government service through e-business and e-government.

Corporate management

• Provide leadership for corporate strategic business planning and management. This includes fiscal controllership; sustainable infrastructure and facility management; strategic human resources planning and management; project management, supply chain management; legal counsel; communications; geospatial data creation, maintenance and distribution; geographic names and georeferencing; organization performance, records and information management; as well as other administrative services in support of the ministry’s activities. These functions support the ministry so that it can effectively deliver on results, priorities and core programs while remaining within its financial and human resources allocations.

Ministry contribution to priority outcomes

With a mandate of protecting and sustainably managing the province’s diverse natural resources to support Ontario’s environmental sustainability, economic prosperity and quality of life, ministry programs and activities strongly and directly contribute to achieving the priority outcome of Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Mitigation.

The ministry is putting Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy into action through the implementation of Biodiversity: It’s In Our Nature, Ontario Government Plan to Conserve Biodiversity, 2012-2020. The ministry continues to work with the Ontario Biodiversity Council to maintain and update the State of Ontario’s Biodiversity. The ministry is continuing to implement the Endangered Species Act, to advance protection and recovery of more than 150 threatened and endangered species, and has contributed to the creation or restoration of over 33,500 hectares of habitat through the Species at Risk Stewardship Fund since 2007.

It will advance the plan outlined in the government’s document "A Blueprint for Change: A proposal to modernize and strengthen the Aggregate Resources Act policy framework" and Premier’s direction (2014 mandate letter) to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry to bring forward regulatory and legislative changes to the Aggregate Resources Act.

The ministry is coordinating and enhancing efforts to protect natural heritage lands in southern Ontario. The ministry is co-leading the Coordinated Plan Review which includes the Niagara Escarpment Plan as well as the Greenbelt Plan, Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Natural heritage protection is central to the plans.

The ministry is contributing to the government’s climate change strategy by leading mitigation actions under Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan. This involves planting 50 million new trees, including two million in urban areas, and ensuring sustainable forest practices; supporting development of offset protocols under the provincial cap and trade program; and developing a Natural Resource Climate Adaptation Strategy.

The ministry continues to develop a water management framework to clarify its role relative to other ministries dealing with water. The ministry’s water mandate includes:

• administering the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act;
• providing technical and policy advice on water budgeting, dam safety, surface water monitoring, natural hazard management, the management of water levels on the Great Lakes, and the regulation of Ontario’s inland waters through dam management and operations; and
• supporting the implementation of the Great Lakes Protection Act for Ontario.

The ministry is engaging stakeholders and the public in opportunities to update and modernize the Conservation Authorities Act technical standards and regulatory processes for dam-related infrastructure.

The government is committed to continuing to develop a strong, positive relationship with First Nations and will continue to work with First Nations to develop community based land use plans in the Far North that clarify both where development can occur and where land is dedicated to protection; this is the certainty that companies and investors want and need. The ministry will continue to work closely with the ministries of Northern Development and Mines and Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, First Nations and northern communities, resource industries and environmental groups to enable the region’s resources to contribute to a more prosperous, healthy and sustainable future for its people, the communities and the entire province.

The outcomes and results of the ministry’s forestry program directly contribute to the priority outcome of creating a Supportive and Dynamic Business Environment for the province’s forest sector. The ministry is supporting jobs and investment in the forestry sector through continued work to modernize forest tenure, including implementation of enhanced Sustainable Forest Licences across the province. The ministry is also investing in public forest access roads and other support to encourage investment in the industry. Investment in public forest access roads creates safer roads for all users and allows industry greater access to forestry resources, which will in turn create jobs and economic growth. Work is also continuing to finalize wood supply agreements with Ontario mills and to help promote wood use and potential investment by ensuring unencumbered wood is publicized in the Available Wood Reports.

The ministry is working with the Ministry of Energy (MOE), the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) to implement the government’s Long-Term Energy Plan, Green Energy Act, and the procurement of clean renewable energy (e.g. Large Renewables Procurement), and to facilitate the availability of Crown land resources for renewable energy projects, including wind, water, solar and bio-energy.

The ministry is working with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) to ensure the province capitalizes on the economic opportunity represented by the Ring of Fire, an area in Ontario’s Far North that contains many globally significant deposits of chromite, a key ingredient in stainless steel, as well as numerous deposits of nickel, copper and platinum.

It will also continue to support the creation of faster, smarter and streamlined government-to-business services that make Ontario more attractive for business development while protecting the public interest.

The ministry’s Public Safety and Natural Hazard Emergency Response program plays a lead role for the province, together with the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs (MMA), in achieving the priority outcome of Strengthening Public Safety and Security by preparing for and responding to natural resource emergencies such as forest fires and flooding.

The ministry’s Natural Resources Enforcement program also contributes to Strengthening Public Safety and Security through the enforcement of safety provisions included in natural resources legislation such as the safe hunting provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.

In addition, the ministry seeks to control rabies and monitor fish and wildlife health, to clean up contaminated sites, and to plug abandoned oil and gas wells.

The ministry’s mandate commitments are focused on contributing to the achievement of the Government’s Multi-Year Priority Outcomes:

Supporting Forestry: Continuing to work with forestry companies, environmental organizations, Indigenous organizations and community representatives to ensure that Crown forest resources are being managed in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable fashion. The ministry is also working with municipalities and other partners to promote urban forestry and to plant two million trees in urban areas as part of our commitment to plant 50 million trees province-wide.

Minimizing the Impact of Invasive Species: The Invasive Species Act, 2015, received Royal Assent on November 3, 2015. The goal of the Act is to support the prevention, early detection, rapid response and eradication of invasive species in the province by developing regulations and supporting policy, and listing species under the Act. The Act came into force on November 3, 2016. The ministry will continue to enhance the existing partnerships and develop new ones as necessary to efficiently implement this new Act and increase actions to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species. This partnership-focused approach allows the ministry to address the full range of invasive species management activities enabling it to channel resources where they will be most effective. The ministry will develop new policy and guidelines for communications and outreach, authorizations, agreements, species-specific risk assessments, prevention and response plans, detection and response provisions of the Act.

Guiding Land Use Planning: Preparing a Far North Land Use Strategy, as required under the Far North Act, to provide guidance to First Nations-Ontario planning teams on land use planning in the Far North; working with MNDM and MOECC to support environmental assessments and planning related to projects in the Ring of Fire region.

Managing Aggregates: Engaging with stakeholders, Indigenous communities and other ministries on the government’s "A Blueprint for Change"; and bringing forward recommended regulatory and legislative changes to improve the act.

Strengthening Biodiversity: Working to implement Biodiversity: It’s In Our Nature, Ontario Government Plan to Conserve Biodiversity as guided by Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy; continuing to work with other ministries and partners, to advance measures aimed at further strengthening and protecting Ontario’s biodiversity.

Leading Conservation: Working with other ministries, municipalities and partners to create a strategic plan for Ontario’s wetlands with the goal of stopping the net loss of wetlands and continuing the review of the Conservation Authorities Act which will identify opportunities to improve the legislative, regulatory and policy framework that currently governs the creation, operation and activities of conservation authorities.

Supporting the Climate Change Action Plan: Working with the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change and partner ministries to implement the Climate Change Action Plan, including developing a land use carbon inventory to support estimation of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from lands in Ontario, supporting the development of a tall wood building guide and a wood stove exchange/replacement program targeted at northern and rural communities

Ministry contribution to priorities and results

• Government priorities: Supportive and dynamic business environment
  • Government strategies
    • Growth Plan for Northern Ontario
  • Deliverables
    • Promote economic growth for Ontario Communities
    • Effective implementation of the Long-Term Energy Plan, Green Energy Act, and renewable energy procurement working with ministries of Energy and Environment and Climate Change and the Independent Electricity System Operator
    • Outdoor recreation opportunities and seasonal jobs; increased demand for related businesses
    • Modernize services for individuals and businesses and streamline and automate approvals
  • Major activities
    • Consult with stakeholders (e.g. industry, municipalities), Indigenous communities and other ministries to develop policy changes in support of the Government’s Review of Aggregate Resources Act and for bringing forward recommended regulatory and legislative changes to improve the aggregates policy framework
    • Move forward on Far North land use planning and the implementation of those plans to help realize the economic potential of the Far North
    • Promote jobs and investment in the forestry sector through the Nawiinginokiima Forest Management Corporation and continuing work to implement enhanced Sustainable Forest Licences across the province
    • Support increased renewable energy generation from wind, water, solar and bio-energy
    • Plan, manage and promote Ontario provincial parks, as well as angling and hunting activities, to provide outdoor recreation opportunities
    • Implement youth employment programs
    • Work with MNDM and the Ring of Fire Secretariat to ensure that Ontario capitalizes on the economic opportunity represented by the Ring of Fire
    • Support northern and rural community economic development through the planning, management and disposition of Crown land
    • Review of the Conservation Authorities Act addressing roles, responsibilities, funding and governance of conservation authorities in resource management and environmental protection
    • Participate in the review of land-use plans for the Oak Ridges Moraine, the Niagara Escarpment Plan, the Greenbelt Plan and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
• Government priorities: Leader on environmental sustainability & climate change Mitigation
  • Government strategies
    • Ring of Fire
    • Far North Land Use Strategy
    • Ontario Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan
  • Deliverables
    • Enhanced healthy natural environment for Ontarians
    • Climate change mitigation and adaptation
    • Stewardship, partnerships and community involvement
    • Protection of areas of cultural and ecological value in the Far North through community land use planning under the Far North Act, 2010
  • Major activities
    • Advance plan outlined in Government’s Blueprint for Change: A proposal to modernize and strengthen the Aggregate Resources Act policy framework
    • Contribute to government climate change strategy by leading climate change mitigation actions under the Climate Change Action Plan such as: planting 50 million trees by 2025; examining the role of managed Crown forests in climate change mitigation; supporting MOECC in development of forest carbon offset protocols in support of Ontario’s cap and trade program; establishing a wood stove exchange program for northern and rural communities; developing a research program to advance tall woodframe building construction; developing a wetland conservation strategy and grassland stewardship initiative; and developing a land use carbon inventory to support estimation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals from the land use sector. Contribute to climate change adaptation efforts through development of a Natural Resource Climate Adaptation Strategy
    • Control of invasive species, rabies, and monitoring of fish and wildlife health; work with the federal government through the Invasive Species Centre in Sault Ste. Marie to help coordinate provincial, national, and international efforts on invasive species
    • Through sustainable forest management practices, promoting sequestration of carbon in forests and harvested wood products
    • Implement Endangered Species Act for all species, including caribou
    • Better integrate species at risk requirements in Crown forest management
    • Promote and enhance the protection of natural heritage lands in southern Ontario and promote natural resource valuation
    • Support the implementation of Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy, 2011, and champion the implementation of Biodiversity: It’s In Our Nature across the 15 signatory ministries
    • Improve water quality, protect groundwater, prevent flooding, improve the quality of the air we breathe, provide vegetative buffers to development and produce habitat for wildlife, through continued management of provincial parks
    • Deliver professional enforcement operations including outreach, inspection and investigative services to protect the province’s natural resources
    • Deliver quality science services to inform sustainable resource management decisions
    • Promote the understanding of the ecological role of fire in many Ontario ecosystems and utilizing its beneficial effects in resource management
• Government priorities: Strengthened public safety and security
  • Deliverables
    • Protected public health and environmental safety to protect our citizens
    • Keep people safe while engaged in natural resource-based activities and from natural hazards
  • Major activities
    • Management of forest fire prevention, preparedness, and response across Ontario
    • Emergency management of flood, drought, erosion, and landslides
    • Remediate contaminated sites such as the Mid-Canada radar line, Hawkesbury Lagoon and Steep Rock Iron Mine Site
    • Deliver professional enforcement operations to protect the public from unsafe hunting and angling practices
    • Ensure dams and other in-water infrastructure are built, operated and maintained in a safe and responsible manner
    • Rabies control

Ministry programs and activities

To augment and embed the ministry’s comprehensive transformation, the ministry is guided by a strategic plan Horizons 2020. Horizons 2020 contains clearly-focused long-term goals, strategies and desired outcomes that will guide MNRF and focus efforts over the coming years to advance the achievement of our mandate and priorities. The ministry’s long-term strategic goals outlined in Horizons 2020 are to:

• promote knowledge of Ontario’s natural resources, their management, and opportunities for enjoyment;
• strengthen management of natural resources to ensure ecological integrity and resilience;
• increase natural resource related economic benefits through innovation and sustainable resource management;
• build a culture of organizational excellence through inspirational leadership and a shared sense of purpose; and
• increase efficiency and effectiveness of ministry programs and services through continuous improvement.

The ministry is focused on achieving mandate and program outcomes through completing business process modernization, improving its key performance indicators at both a ministry and program level, and furthering the necessary cultural changes. To ensure long-term operational and financial sustainability, the ministry is committed to continuing to identify opportunities for further internal efficiencies.

The following are the ministry’s 2017-18 key priorities and strategies to achieve its intended goals and continue to contribute to the achievement of the government’s multi-year priority outcomes.

Indigenous relations

The ministry will continue to work with the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation (MIRR) and partner ministries to strengthen relationships, enhance consultation processes, and build economic opportunity for Indigenous communities across Ontario.

Ontario is committed to resolving land claims in a timely manner and increasing the involvement of Indigenous peoples in decisions that impact their traditional territories and communities. Resolving land claims and working to achieve reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and the Ontario government are key Ontario commitments. While MIRR has the lead for the resolution of Indigenous land claims in the province, the ministry is a significant contributor in the negotiation and execution of settlements. The ministry will support land claim negotiations, and consult and engage with First Nations and Indigenous communities and organizations to develop natural resource management policies and practices that reflect the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples.

Biodiversity management

The ministry will continue to work with the Ontario Biodiversity Council to assist with the implementation of Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy, 2011.

The ministry, together with 15 other ministries, will implement Biodiversity: It’s In Our Nature, which confirms the government’s commitment to biodiversity conservation and outlines the actions that Ontario government ministries will take to achieve the vision and goals of Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy.

The Ontario government recognizes the importance of biodiversity and, through the Ontario Public Service Biodiversity Network, continues to take steps to conserve it, contributing to a strong, healthy and prosperous future for our province and generations to come.

The ministry will continue to assess the science literature and results of the review of the "Forest Management Guide for Conserving Biodiversity at the Stand and Site Scales" (Stand and Site Guide) to inform a future update to the guide. The Stand and Site Guide gives direction on modifying forest operations to retain special features, such as decaying trees and fallen logs, and protecting sensitive habitats, such as bird nests and woodland pools. It also ensures the conservation of water and soil resources.

Implementation of the Endangered Species Act also continues to be a key priority of the ministry. The ministry will:

• continue its streamlined approach to simplifying rules for businesses, landowners and municipalities under the act, while maintaining its place as a North American leader in species protection;
• continue to publish recovery strategies, develop government response statements, management plans, propose habitat regulations, and report on progress (five-year reports) to meet legislative requirements and support the recovery of species at risk.

In addition, the ministry continues to take a risk-based approach in the development of policies that protect, conserve and aim to recover species at risk in Ontario. The ministry will continue to develop an integrated and efficient framework for forest management planning that meets the requirements of both the Endangered Species Act and Crown Forest Sustainability Act.

Wildlife

The ministry will continue to take a risk-based approach to help focus efforts on core business. Modernization efforts will continue to focus on streamlining policy and approval processes and enhancing landscape-based fisheries and wildlife management. This includes opportunities to improve customer service through automating approval processes, and implementing a broader landscape-based approach to managing Ontario’s wildlife.

Ontario will continue to collaborate with other jurisdictions nationally and internationally to address wildlife health, including threats from diseases like White- nose Syndrome in bats and Chronic Wasting Disease in deer.

The ministry continues to be vigilant in controlling rabies and monitoring and addressing other fish and wildlife health risks. After 10 years without raccoon rabies, there were a number of cases found near Hamilton during the winter of 2015-16. Ongoing monitoring ‎ and the resumption of baiting in the spring of 2017 aim to help prevent any new cases. The ministry will continue its vaccine bait distribution program using Ontario’s rabies vaccine, ONRAB®, to deal with any new cases that may occur and work with United States partners on raccoon rabies control in northeastern North America.

Wildlife are an important part of Ontario’s biodiversity. The ministry’s wildlife policy reflects a variety of ecological, economic and cultural considerations. In 2016, policy changes were made to address moose population concerns by reducing adult moose tags, shortening the moose calf hunting season and delaying and shortening the overall moose season. For black bear and turkey hunters, opportunities have been expanded to include a five-year spring black bear pilot hunt and a new turkey bow season. For trapping and hunting small game and furbearers, the ministry has streamlined bag limits and season dates. The ministry will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these changes to ensure sustainable wildlife populations.

Invasive species

• The ministry will continue with the implementation of the Invasive Species Act. The goal of the Act is to support the prevention, early detection, rapid response and control of invasive species in the province by developing regulations and supporting policies to list species under the Act. With the Act coming into force on November 3, 2016, initial priorities have included policy development and guidance, and drafting of the first set of regulations. The ministry will develop new policy and guidelines for communications and outreach, authorizations, agreements, species-specific risk assessments, prevention and response plans, detection and response provisions of the Act.
• Invasive species are a priority for federal, provincial and territorial Conservation, Wildlife and Biodiversity Ministers. The ministry, with intergovernmental partners, will continue to work through the federal, provincial and territorial Task Force to better position Canadian efforts to address invasive species, including strengthening policy, improving leadership and coordination, and developing strategic partnerships.
• In addition, the ministry will continue to:
  • implement priority actions in the Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan together with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), MOECC and the Ministry of Transportation (MTO);
  • monitor forest health and work with the federal government and other partners to manage pests and invasive plants that threaten our forests;
  • act to eradicate aquatic invasive species that impact Ontario’s water bodies, including water soldier in the Trent and Black rivers and water chestnut in Voyageur Provincial Park and at Wolfe Island, Lake Ontario;
  • enhance our surveillance and monitoring for Asian carp in the Great Lakes;
  • work together with partners and other governments to monitor for invasive species in neighbouring jurisdictions which pose a threat to Ontario, including the presence of Asian carp in the United States;
  • partner with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, which delivers extensive programs to raise awareness of invasive species and how to prevent their spread;
  • partner with the Ontario Invasive Plant Council to support management of invasive plants such as Phragmites; and
  • fulfill commitments made by the Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Governors and Premiers to address threats posed by invasive species to the Great Lakes, such as taking action on the Governors' and Premiers' Least Wanted List of Aquatic Invasive Species, implementation of the Mutual Aid Agreement when required, and the Michigan-Ohio-Ontario Aquatic Invasive Species Harmonization Pilot;
  • review development and resource management plans and applications (residential, commercial, municipal, industrial) for soil/vegetation/seed management planning to address legislative requirements to limit movement or deposit of invasive species;
  • respond to inquiries from the public, consultants, stakeholders and Indigenous communities for information, species identification, best management practices, restrictions/prohibitions and general outreach; and
  • respond to requests for authorizations, permits, approvals, restrictions from researchers, municipalities, developers and resource industry such as aggregates and forestry.
• The ministry will also continue to support the Invasive Species Centre at the Great Lakes Forestry Centre in Sault Ste. Marie. The centre promotes co-operation, collaboration and efficiencies in invasive species management and helps coordinate provincial, national and international efforts to address the spread of invasive species, and the negative effects they can have on the health of Ontario’s ecosystems and economy.

Climate change

• The ministry will work with MOECC and other ministries to both mitigate and adapt to climate change, while building a cleaner, greener and healthier Ontario. This includes implementing specific actions in the 2015 Ontario Climate Change Strategy and 2016 Climate Change Action Plan, including:
  • Working with partners to plant 50 million new trees, including a commitment to double the number of trees planted within boundaries of urban municipalities from one to two million. The 50 Million Tree Program was announced in 2007 and has a goal of planting 50 million trees by 2025 province-wide. This will restore forest cover on suitable rural and urban lands, and support ecological sustainability and carbon sequestration. The ministry works closely with Forests Ontario to deliver the program through a multi-year agreement. The program offers funding assistance to landowners who have eligible lands and are interested in planting trees.
  • Examining the role of managed Crown forests in mitigating climate change and supporting MOECC in the adaptation of a forest carbon offset protocol.
  • Advancing forest sector innovation opportunities including working with MOECC and MIRR on a four-year $4 million program to establish a wood stove exchange that will target rural, northern and Indigenous communities.
  • Working with MIRR and the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science to develop a research program to advance tall wood frame building construction. Subject to available funds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Account this would be a four-year program. This program would build upon the ministry’s mandate letter commitment to produce a Tall Wood Reference Guide. This reference guide will be publicly released in 2017-18.
  • Developing a government approach to assessing carbon flows from agriculture, forests and other land uses. Working with OMAFRA, MMA, MOECC, MNDM and MIRR, the ministry will develop and implement a land use carbon inventory by 2020 to support estimation of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from the land use sector.
  • Developing a Natural Resource Climate Adaptation Strategy to advance research, monitoring and policy efforts that conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystems, and sustainably manage natural resources in order to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience of natural systems to climate change impacts.

The ministry will support OMAFRA and MOECC in the implementation of the Pollinator Health Action Plan for Ontario. The ministry’s contribution is focusing on native pollinators, including an assessment of pollinator habitat in southern Ontario, supporting stewardship and educational initiatives and the conservation of natural heritage at a landscape scale.

Wetlands

The Ontario government is committed to conserving wetlands and will work to finalize and begin implementation of a Wetland Conservation Strategy for Ontario 2016-2030. The strategy provides a coordinating framework to guide wetland conservation across the province. It includes a vision, goals, and outcomes for wetlands in Ontario and sets out a series of actions the government will incrementally undertake over the next 15 years to improve wetland conservation.

Through a 15-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2013, the ministry will continue to work with Ducks Unlimited Canada to restore, protect and enhance wetlands in Ontario.

Several conventions and collaborative agreements are also in place to ensure wetlands are conserved. Ontario continues to work with other provinces to ensure continental objectives for habitat protection, such as those established through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, are implemented.

Ontario will continue to work with conservation organizations, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces to implement the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture which sets out a framework for wetland restoration, protection and enhancement in Eastern Canada, as well other partnerships and agreements.

Fisheries

Under the Ecological Framework for Recreational Fisheries Management in Ontario, Fisheries Management Zone advisory councils have been set up in 13 out of 20 zones. Five Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ) plans have been completed, and up to three more plans will be completed this year. Two plans were presented for public comment in 2016-17 and will be finalized in 2017-18, with potential consultation on up to two more FMZ plans. Advisory Councils in the Great Lakes Fisheries Management Zones will continue to support ongoing management programs on the Great Lakes. These activities have the potential for the development of FMZ plans for these waters.

The second five-year cycle of the broad-scale fisheries monitoring program began in 2013-14 and will be completed in 2017-18. Key components of the program include: cycle-two field sampling, information management, data analysis, and the production of reports, based on monitoring results from the first five-year cycle. Preparation for the third cycle of the monitoring program will be a key area of focus in 2017-18.

The ministry will continue to conduct scientific research and monitoring to inform fisheries management planning for Algonquin Park and surrounding areas.

In response to ecological concerns associated with live bait in Ontario, the ministry will continue to consult on the final phase of its review of Ontario’s approach to the harvest and use of live bait.

The ministry intends to assess the need and feasibility of modernizing and/or further developing commercial fishing policies in Ontario. Specific focus is intended to be given to the policies and related decision frameworks associated with the issuance and management of commercial fishing licences and agreements that govern commercial fishing operations within Ontario’s in-land waters and Great Lakes.

The ministry continues to:

• work with provincial and territorial governments and the federal government to review the federal Fisheries Act. In addition, the ministry coordinates activities associated with the management of fisheries and aquaculture through a number of committees designed to ensure clear roles and responsibilities associated with the delivery of these programs and, where possible, develop partnership initiatives.
• work with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to prevent the spread of diseases such as Viral Hemorrhagic Septicaemia in certain species of fish.
• manage Ontario’s commercial and recreational fisheries to ensure they provide sustainable ecological and economic benefits.
• market and generate revenue for the Fish and Wildlife Special Purpose Account to support fish and wildlife programs.
• deliver professional law enforcement to protect Ontario’s natural resources for present and future generations.
• offer the core science and information functions of science and applied research, resource monitoring and reporting, mapping and surveying, and information management, to support natural resource management decision-making.

The ministry’s Integrated Science Action Plan (ISAP), first implemented in 2015-16, ensures ongoing alignment of science priorities across the ministry. For 2017-18, this on-going, cross-ministry effort will continue to align the ministry’s scientific work with its priorities and inform future policy and program drivers. The action plan provides a mechanism for the ministry to make well-informed decisions when setting science priorities. Risk-based decision-making helps to focus the ministry’s resources and management discussions around the greatest needs, both current and future. For 2017-18, the ministry will continue to integrate ISAP into decision-making and enhance its ability to identify long-term foundational science priorities and balance these with time-sensitive science needs.

Natural heritage and protected area management

The Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act and related regulations serve to protect biodiversity and natural and cultural heritage and to ensure that the ecological integrity of Ontario’s provincial parks and conservation reserves is maintained. Approximately 9 per cent of the land mass of Ontario is currently protected within provincial parks and conservation reserves.

The ministry will continue to produce and amend management direction for provincial parks and conservation reserves consistent with Ontario’s Protected Areas Planning Manual (2014) and Guidelines. The ministry will examine management directions to determine whether they continue to be effective in protecting values and informing and guiding management planning priorities, and to publicly report on the results of those examinations.

The ministry will continue to make progress on confirming potential Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest.

The ministry is anticipating approximately nine million visits to Ontario Parks in 2017-18. The ministry will invest in priority infrastructure upgrades in numerous provincial parks to improve accessibility and customer service.

In 2017-18, the ministry will continue to collaborate with MMA, other ministries, and the Niagara Escarpment Commission, to review the Greenbelt Plan, Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, Niagara Escarpment Plan and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Through the Coordinated Review the ministry is taking the opportunity to modernize the Niagara Escarpment Plan to address provincial priorities, such as enhancing policy for water resources, natural heritage and agricultural uses.

The ministry will continue to support MMA in implementing the Provincial Policy Statement, 2014, which provides direction on provincial interests related to municipal land use planning, including natural heritage. The ministry will deliver guidance material for several Provincial Policy Statement policy areas associated with the ministry’s mandate, including natural heritage and wildland fire policies.

The ministry will continue to work jointly with First Nations on Far North community based land use planning towards achieving a key objective of the Far North Act: the protection of areas of cultural value and protection of ecological systems by including at least 225,000 square kilometres of the Far North in an interconnected network of protected areas designated in community based land use plans. Plans will identify areas that will be dedicated to protection, and areas that are suitable for sustainable economic development opportunities such as forestry, mining and renewable energy. Indigenous traditional knowledge and science-based information and knowledge will continue to be gathered to inform and support the preparation of a plan. The ministry will also work closely with First Nations, MNDM, MIRR, environmental groups, northern communities and resource industries to implement the Far North Act, including developing policies, regulations, and a Far North Land Use Strategy to support planning in the Far North.

Crown land, water and non-renewable resource management

Approximately 77 per cent of the province’s land mass is made up of Crown land managed under the Public Lands Act, with an additional 12 per cent of Crown land held as provincial parks and conservation reserves. The ministry will plan for and respond to requests to use Crown lands for a wide variety of economic, recreational and other activities, and ensure that any authorized activities are conducted in a manner consistent with the ministry’s policies, land use plans and Class Environmental Assessment process. The ministry will continue to manage approximately 11,000 existing tenants on Crown land and ensure a fair return to the Crown. The ministry will continue to monitor Crown lands to protect them against unauthorized occupation.

The ministry will support the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport’s refreshed Ontario Trails Strategy, recognizing the important role that Crown land can play in supporting the province’s recreational and tourism interests.

Consistent with the important role that planning, management and disposition of Crown land can play in supporting the economic health of northern and rural communities, the ministry will support MNDM's implementation of the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, including development of sector-specific strategies.

There are over 100,000 kilometres of roads on Crown land and approximately 150 operating waste sites in the unorganized areas of the province. The ministry will continue to manage these assets with partners, consistent with ministry policies and provincial standards.

The ministry will maintain a robust, publicly transparent and up-to-date land use planning system for Crown land. The ministry will:

• monitor and, where required, enhance Crown land use planning direction found in the Guide for Crown Land Use Planning to ensure that planning policy and guidance support the orderly allocation and management of Ontario’s Crown lands and resources;
• maintain the Crown Land Use Policy Atlas to ensure that land use direction is readily available to the public, industry and stakeholders; and
• process amendments to Crown land use direction in an open and transparent manner, and consistent with the wise use and sustainable management of Crown land.

The ministry will provide resource management policy and program leadership and advice on a number of government and partner initiatives, such as:

• providing policy and technical leadership for the design, construction, operation, maintenance and safety of dams in Ontario;
• providing policy and program oversight for the Conservation Authorities Act and engaging with ministries, municipalities and stakeholders to continue a review of the Act, including addressing roles and responsibilities, funding and governance of conservation authorities in resource management and environmental protection;
• supporting bi-national Great Lakes initiatives, such as implementing the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement, and by representing Ontario’s interests on the Agreement’s Regional Body;
• supporting implementation of the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, while continuing to conserve and protect the Great Lakes through funding for projects across the basin;
• working with the federal government in collaboration with the International Joint Commission to ensure that Ontario’s interests are addressed as it considers new approaches to managing water levels in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River and the Upper Great Lakes, and develop adaptive management strategies to help address climate uncertainty; and
• supporting the implementation of the Great Lakes Protection Act for Ontario, and continued implementation of Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy 2012 and the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund.

The ministry will continue to modernize the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act approval requirements, working with partner ministries, dam owners and other stakeholders, to:

• clarify the scope of the Act, including ministry interests and legislative authority;
• update the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act technical guidance and requirements for the operation of dams;
• explore alternative service delivery approaches to increase dam safety by promoting the adoption of industry best practices for dam management;
• enable, through regulatory reform and agreements, the opportunity for dam owners to invest in their dams; and
• review the effectiveness of a five-year pilot partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada that streamlines Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act approvals for small low-hazard dams associated with wetland conservation projects.

The ministry will work closely with the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the waterpower industry to ensure the effective administration of the Gross Revenue Charge under the Electricity Act.

The ministry will advance the plan outlined in the government’s "A Blueprint for Change: A Proposal to modernize and strengthen the Aggregate Resources Act policy framework" and support the Premier’s direction to bring forward regulatory and legislative changes. Bill 39, the Aggregate Resources and Mining Modernization Act was introduced in the Legislature on October 6, 2016. Should the bill pass, the intention is to move forward with consultations on proposed change to the regulations. This work will include advancing policy proposals and seeking further input from the public, key stakeholders and Indigenous communities on details of new pit and quarry applications and changes to existing approvals; impacts to agriculture and water resources, including rehabilitation information and requirements, particularly with respect to agricultural lands; recycled aggregate materials; and aggregate fees. The changes will involve regulatory and legislative amendments and revised provincial standards, through a comprehensive phased approach. The ministry will manage the licensing requirements and the efforts required to ensure compliance with new legislative and regulatory changes across the province.

The ministry will continue to support MNDM and the Ring of Fire Secretariat through community based land use planning with eight First Nation communities in the Ring of Fire area in order to meet requirements, under the Far North Act, to have a plan in place before most development can occur. The ministry will continue to provide input to environmental assessments, participate in the development of a long-term environmental monitoring framework, and undertake Indigenous consultation.

The ministry will continue its work on the remediation of the Mid-Canada Line radar sites by implementing year nine of the project. The focus will be to complete the clean-up along with the transportation and disposal of waste material collected. This work will complete the clean-up of all Mid-Canada Line radar sites within Ontario.

The ministry will continue its work on the full-scale remediation of the Hawkesbury Lagoon by implementing year four of this project. The ministry will begin operating the landfill leachate management system and confirm proper operation. The focus will be on monthly and quarterly monitoring, testing and reporting to ensure MOECC requirements are met, and to reopen a portion of the site to the public for passive recreational use.

In 2017-18, rehabilitation and management activities of the Steep Rock Iron Mine Site will continue to address surface contaminants remediation, water management, and land management activities related to the overall continuing reclamation of the site.

The ministry will continue to engage and inform the community and stakeholders on ongoing site rehabilitation work.

The ministry will continue to provide leadership and program delivery in the development and application of geographic information for natural resource management and decision-making, such as supporting Ontario’s changes to the Mining Act, moving forward with community based land use planning in the Far North and preservation of natural heritage in southern Ontario.

The ministry, in partnership with several Land Information Ontario partner ministries and in collaboration with municipalities, First Nations, the federal government, the private sector and environmental non-government organizations, plans to acquire approximately 20,000 square kilometres of new orthophotography (aerial photographs geometrically corrected to a uniform scale) in northwestern Ontario.

The ministry will also contribute to the government’s Information and Information Technology initiative by making land information available through a suitable infrastructure.

Renewable energy

The ministry will continue to work with MOE, the Independent Electricity System Operator and MOECC to implement the government’s Long-Term Energy Plan, Green Energy Act, and renewable energy procurement initiatives (e.g. Large Renewables Procurement, Feed In Tariff, etc.).

It will continue to implement the Renewable Energy on Crown Land policy by strategically aligning Crown land site access with provincial energy procurement programs in order to support provincial renewable energy targets. The ministry will also continue to work with industry, stakeholders, municipalities, Indigenous communities, and the public, to foster environmentally sound renewable energy development, while advancing science and research, and facilitating community economic benefits.

Forestry

The ministry will continue to provide leadership and oversight in the sustainable management of Ontario’s Crown forests, ensure a healthy, viable forest industry in Ontario, and foster a competitive business environment. Efforts will be made to continue improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the forestry program to account for changing social, economic and environmental conditions.

In conjunction with several research and funding agencies, the ministry is developing and implementing strategies and initiatives that will assist with the transformation of Ontario’s forest product sector. Innovation is key to the diversification of Ontario’s forest industry.

The ministry will work with industry, academia, and research organizations to advance the forest industry’s role in addressing climate change. The forest industry can contribute to greenhouse gas emission reductions by producing new bioproducts that displace fossil fuels and building products that sequester carbon. The ministry will support research into a new pulping process to produce sugars that can be used by Ontario’s chemical industry, as well as sawmill recovery improvements, transportation efficiencies, and new innovative solid wood products development.

In 2017-18 the ministry will work with a number of partners to develop a strategy for Ontario’s forest sector that will build on the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers' work to develop a Forest Bioeconomy Framework for Canada.

The ministry will work toward enhancing the competitiveness of the forest and wood manufacturing industries. It will promote jobs and investment in the forestry sector through activities to modernize forest tenure. This includes responding to recommendations of the Provincial Forest Tenure Modernization Oversight Group, continuing to oversee the Crown forest management agency - Nawiinginokiima Forest Management Corporation - implementing enhanced Sustainable Forest Licences in priority locations and evaluating the results of two Forest Sector resource revenue sharing pilot projects.

The ministry will also advocate for industry on government policies that impact the competitiveness of the forest industry and foster new market opportunities.

The ministry will continue to advocate for Ontario’s interests in a new softwood lumber agreement, and support the federal government in negotiations. Negotiating a new agreement continues to be a priority for Ontario and its forest industry as well as examining additional measures to protect from unfair imposition of countervailing duties. The ministry is prepared to defend our forest management and pricing system, and our forestry-related programs during litigation. The ministry will continue to work to maintain market access for Ontario softwood lumber producers.

Work will also continue toward finalizing approvals for 18 wood supply agreements and ensuring unused wood is publicized in the Available Wood Reports to help promote wood use and potential investment.

The ministry will continue to work with industry to improve and modernize wood measurement practices, update standards for wood measurement and movement of Crown forest resources to processing facilities, and finalize revisions to the Scaling Manual.

The ministry will work with MOECC to obtain Environmental Assessment Act (EA Act) coverage for forest management for the Cat-Slate Forest in the Far North and to modernize existing forestry EA Act approvals to streamline forest management planning and approval requirements.

The ministry will fulfill the commitment under EA Act Declaration Order MNR-75 by submitting revised Forestry Manuals for approval; namely, the Forest Management Planning Manual, Forest Information Manual and the Forest Operations and Silviculture Manual.

The ministry will work with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to finalize and implement a revised "MNRF/DFO Protocol for the Review of Water Crossings Proposed Through the Forest Management Planning Process." The Protocol describes the roles and responsibilities of the MNRF, the DFO and the sustainable forest licensees as they pertain to forestry water crossing planning and approval. It details a review and approval framework that enables timely and efficient water crossing approvals while providing for fisheries and fish habitat protection and sustainability.

The ministry will continue to work with practitioners and stakeholders to enhance its focus on forest renewal efforts through implementation of the decisions of the Silviculture Enhancement Initiative. The Initiative was established to coordinate efforts to improve policies guiding delivery and funding of the silviculture program.

Planning and procurement of 12 Independent Forest Audits in 2017 are currently under way and the ministry will continue implementing modernization changes to Independent Forest Audits.

The ministry will continue to expand the reach of the Ontario Wood brand by licensing additional partners, using social media and participating in trade and consumer shows, and using new marketing initiatives that will focus on the high quality and aesthetic appearance of wood harvested from Ontario. Ontario Wood will also be working to increase brand recognition.

The ministry will continue to deliver the Provincial Forest Access Roads Funding Program to contribute to the construction and maintenance of public forest access roads. These roads benefit many users, including the forest and mining industries, utility and railway companies, anglers and hunters, tourist outfitters, campers and cottagers, trappers, Indigenous communities, and the general public. Forest access roads also provide an important transportation network for emergency preparedness and response.

In 2016-17, the ministry, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Development and Growth (MEDG), began delivery of the Forestry Growth Fund, a new funding stream under the Jobs and Prosperity Fund. The Forestry Growth Fund leverages new investment in the forest sector by providing funding for strategic investments that improve productivity, support innovation, enhance competitiveness, support new market access, and strengthen supply chains and regional economies.

Recent research shows the greatest challenge for Ontario’s forest industry in the next four years will be training and recruitment of new employees in all operational, planning and management areas. To help face these challenges, the ministry will continue to promote careers in the forestry and wood manufacturing sectors through initiatives targeted at high school students and teachers, as well as support the Forestry Specialised High Skills Major.

Through a partnership with Forests Ontario, the ministry is supporting its obligations under the EA Act Declaration Order MNR-75, Condition 54, for public education about forest management by helping deliver on Forest Ontario’s Forestry Connects program and "It Takes a Forest" initiative.

Ontario continues to support the activities of the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, including participation in national and international events to share information on the sustainable management of Ontario’s forests.

In October 2016, Ontario entered into a forestry cooperation agreement with Québec. The provinces have agreed to focus efforts on mitigating climate change through greater use of innovative wood products and building systems, and highlighting the importance of sustainable forest management in moving to a low carbon economy.

Public safety and natural hazard emergency response

The ministry will continue to manage for the prevention of loss of human life and injury, as well as prevent and mitigate losses, economic disruption and social disruption from forest fires, floods and other natural resource emergencies. It will continue the planning and delivery of the ministry’s emergency management program and the provision of aviation services for the Ontario government in support of public safety and resource management.

The ministry will work closely with the Office of the Fire Marshal, Emergency Management, other ministries, other provinces, First Nations, municipalities and communities, agencies and the federal government as part of a coordinated and effective response to emergencies within Ontario. The ministry will also continue to provide emergency response support to other jurisdictions, including staff and equipment, under mutual aid agreements.

Throughout 2017-18, the ministry will continue to test and evaluate the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems for natural resource management. Construction will begin on the Dryden Fire Management Centre and construction will be completed at the North Bay Fire Management Headquarters facility. The Thunder Bay Provincial Logistics Centre/Fire Management Headquarters/Aviation Hangar will open in 2017-18.

Land and Resources Information and Information Technology (I&IT) Cluster

The mandate of the Land and Resources I&IT Cluster is to provide and manage strategic services in the lifecycle of its five client ministries' information and information technology (I&IT) assets, and to offer and manage the delivery of I&IT products and services to the ministries. The cluster serves the following ministries, which work collaboratively with LRC to achieve this mandate: MNRF; MIRR; OMAFRA; MOECC; and MNDM.

The cluster:

• supports the ministries' mandates and their transformation initiatives;
• seeks opportunities across the ministries to streamline and leverage solutions and services to maximize business value;
• provides business solutions that deliver results;
• executes responsibilities with a focus on maintaining and/or increasing overall service levels at the overall lowest possible per unit costs for I&IT products or services;
• seeks continuous improvement opportunities as part of its modernization agenda and journey to service best practices and excellence;
• leverages and optimizes the use of both human and capital resources;
• ensures that its activities support the cluster and take into consideration the overall I&IT direction set out by the Office of the Corporate Chief Information Officer and other recognized corporate I&IT governance bodies; and
• provides stewardship of the I&IT assets.

Corporate management

The ministry’s administration program provides the corporate focus to advance the OPS modern controllership agenda. The program:

• supports the ministry so that it can effectively deliver on results, priorities and core programs while remaining within its financial and human resources allocations;
• leads enhanced accountability in the ministry through strengthened internal controls such as effective application of Directives, Delegation of Authority and cost containment strategies;
• leads controllership initiatives to support compliance with government Directives related to Travel, Meals and Hospitality, Relocation Expenses, Transfer Payments, Special Purpose Accounts, Procurements, and Agencies and Appointments;
• leads organizational excellence through leadership renewal, engaged staff and an inclusive, diverse, healthy and safe workplace;
• coordinates youth programs to support ministry-wide business and operations while building talent capacity, resulting in over 2,000 employment opportunities for youth annually in the Indigenous Youth Work Exchange, First Nations Natural Resources Youth Exchange, Summer Employment Opportunities and Stewardship Youth Ranger programs;
• provides geographic information and services, geographic names and georeferencing to meet the program needs of MNRF, OPS ministries, municipal governments, public and private sectors, and Ontarians, supporting activities such as land use planning, emergency management, source water protection, and Land Information Ontario (LIO);
• supports ministry implementation of information management, Open Government, accessibility and similar initiatives;
• provides project management leadership to support the execution of the ministry’s strategic initiatives;
• leads asset management planning, 10-year capital investment/infrastructure planning and accommodation/facilities project management;
• supports the enterprise-wide consolidated contaminated sites clean-up initiative; and
• leads corporate strategic business planning and reporting to support government decision-making.

Ministry key performance indicators

The MNRF Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been selected to:

• align with the ministry’s strategic goals;
• cover the breadth of the ministry’s programs; and,
• represent outcomes important to our stakeholders and the public.

All ministry programs contributing to KPIs have established statistical output and outcome measures to identify trends and monitor the achievement of short-term and long-term targets.

All ministry outcomes are achieved through fostering an organization of engaged and motivated staff and a culture of continuous improvement.

Table 1: Ministry key performance indicators

Highlights of 2016-17 achievements

In 2016-17, the ministry continued to deliver on its mandate commitments and program priority outcomes, by:

• protecting Ontarians from natural hazards, such as responding to wildfires and flooding, including collaborative efforts with other jurisdictions and other agencies;
• protecting the health and safety of Ontarians by continuing enhanced rabies vaccine baiting and surveillance in the 2015-16 outbreak area around Hamilton, as well as routine surveillance across the province;
• sustainably managing Crown forests, which supports over 172,000 direct and indirect jobs in over 260 communities across the province;
• tabling the five-year State of Ontario’s Forests Report in the Legislature. This report is a requirement of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act and Declaration Order MNR-75, and provides the state of and trends in the social, economic and environmental indicators of Sustainable Forest Management;
• working with the Provincial Forest Tenure Modernization Oversight Group to complete a review of Ontario’s forest tenure models and make recommendations on the future direction of forest tenure modernization;
• implementing forest sector resource revenue sharing in two pilot locations on the Magpie and Martel Forests in Chapleau and Dubreuilville area and the Temiskaming Forest in the Kirkland Lake and Earlton area;
• continuing the automation of approvals by allowing representatives to create and submit registrations on behalf of their clients on the MNRF Registry. The registry is also now compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. As of December 31, 2016, over 11,000 registrations have been processed via the automated system;
• managing the recreational fisheries that are enjoyed by over 1 million anglers that contribute almost $2.2 billion to the Ontario economy;
• providing hunting opportunities to more than 450,000 hunting Outdoors Card holders and generating over $20 million in hunting licence sales in 2016-17;
• developing Aggregate Resources policy in response to feedback from stakeholders and Indigenous communities consulted on the government’s "A Blueprint for Change" and in support of the Premier’s direction to bring forward regulatory and legislative changes while continuing to oversee aggregate resources, which create over 18,500 direct and indirect jobs and contribute over $1.3 billion in annual GDP;
• supporting renewable energy generation on Crown land through the Renewable Energy on Crown Land Policy, working with MOE to implement the government’s Long-term Energy Plan, and generating royalties of almost $120 million annually from waterpower generation and other facilities;
• modernizing the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act by providing direction for ensuring the responsible long-term operation of existing waterpower facilities. The ministry worked closely with dam owners and their associations to co-sponsor workshops and collaboration to further the province’s dam safety interests;
• reaching Terms of Reference stage of community based land use planning with MacDowell Lake First Nation; reaching final plan stage of community based land use planning for Deer Lake First Nation; working jointly toward draft plans with five other First Nation communities, four of them located in the Ring of Fire area; and working to implement the four community-based land use plans completed between five First Nation communities. The ministry is also working with 17 other First Nation communities on various stages of planning, from collecting background information to preparing Terms of Reference;
• continuing implementation of the Endangered Species Act, to advance the protection and recovery of more than 150 threatened and endangered species, including the completion of progress reports for 27 species at risk; finalization of the Polar Bear and Wolverine Government Response Statements; contributed to the creation or restoration of over 33,500 hectares of habitat through the Species at Risk Stewardship Fund since 2007;
• representing Ontario at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties 13 and the 5^th Global Summit for Cities and Subnational Governments to highlight Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy; Biodiversity: It’s In Our Nature; and, State of Biodiversity Reporting. Ontario was invited and recognized as a leading subnational government on the global stage;
• completing an assessment of the Guide for Crown Land Use Planning and updating portions of the Guide relative to the ministry’s organizational transformation;
• working collaboratively with MOECC and MNDM to gain an understanding of the potential effects within the Ring of Fire region while also advancing science and information efforts to consolidate provincial interests on long-term environmental monitoring;
• entry into force on November 3, 2016 of the Invasive Species Act, which addresses concerns surrounding the prevention, detection, rapid response and eradication of invasive species, and combatting invasive species through collaboration between governments and with partners;
• continuing to manage and oversee the operation of the Forest Renewal Trust, which provides funding for forest renewal following harvest on Crown forests, and the Forestry Futures Trust which provides funding for forest renewal following natural disturbances and other purposes established by the Minister;
• implementing the Integrated Science Action Plan within the ministry to guide and align ministry science with Ontario’s natural resource management needs. This ongoing process is a cross-ministry effort to collaboratively and efficiently focus our ministry resources around Ontario’s greatest science needs;
• continuing the development of options for implementing the Integrated Monitoring Framework’s strategic recommendations for modernizing the ministry’s monitoring activities. The Integrated Monitoring Framework has resulted in documenting and reviewing monitoring activities to strengthen their design and alignment with the ministry’s policy and management needs;
• reinvigorating MNRF Dam Owner’s Advisory Committee to help ensure the close collaborative working relationship between regulatory agencies and dam owners continues;
• continuing to enhance Ontario’s system of parks and increase the area of land protected under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act and the Far North Act;
• receiving more than 10.5 million visits to Ontario’s provincial parks in 2016 from people around the world, and bringing in over $85 million in revenue;
• continuing the Ontario Parks' Healthy Parks, Healthy People initiative – a world-wide movement that works to promote and understand the health benefits of spending time in nature;
• implementing a revitalized Ontario Parks Natural Heritage Education Program which includes new programming, new material and school classroom modules;
• receiving the 2016 Environmental Commissioner Recognition Award for the ministry’s Mid-Canada Radar Site Clean-up in Polar Bear Provincial Park;
• continuing to implement the Government’s commitment to plant two million trees in urban areas;
• introducing young people to natural resource management by offering over 2,000 jobs in 2016-17, more students summer jobs than any other ministry;
• developing and consulting on a Natural Resource Climate Adaptation Strategy to advance research, monitoring and policy efforts that conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystems, and sustainably manage natural resources in order to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience of natural systems to climate change impacts;
• initiating a public dialogue on forest carbon policy by releasing a discussion paper titled "How might Ontario’s managed Crown forests mitigate climate change?" This discussion paper was a first step in developing forest carbon policy for Ontario;
• consulting on revised Forestry Manuals that provide planning efficiencies for the ministry and the forest industry, while supporting meaningful involvement of First Nation and Metis communities, and continuing to ensure forest sustainability and environmental protection;
• coordinating the development of a reference guide for tall wood construction with MMA and input from a project oversight committee made up of chief building and fire officials, professional fire fighters union, carpenters union, and industry;
• supporting the sale and restart of an idled sawmill and neighbouring co-generation plant in Hornepayne;
• approval of the first project under the Forestry Growth Fund in November 2016;
• delivering the full allocation of $70 million to the Provincial Forest Access Roads Funding Program for the construction and maintenance of public forest access roads; and
• expanding the reach of the Ontario Wood wood brand with more than 300 licensed partners, the launch of new social media platforms and an expanded online presence.

The ministry worked collaboratively with various ministries to achieve other government priority outcomes, including:

• realizing the economic potential and the need for sustainable development in the Ring of Fire area by engaging Indigenous communities in community-based land-use planning and assisting in the development of a long-term environmental monitoring program;
• continuing to work with other ministries and partners to advance Ontario Biodiversity Strategy measures aimed at further strengthening and protecting Ontario’s biodiversity;
• releasing Wetland Conservation in Ontario: A Discussion Paper, and holding a series of public, Indigenous and stakeholder listening sessions focused on the current framework and ideas for the future of wetland conservation in Ontario;
• the implementation of the province’s local/sectoral Resource Benefits Sharing framework through two pilots in the forest sector;
• engaging MIRR and MNDM to contribute to Ontario’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report – "The Journey Together: Ontario’s Commitment to Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples", in the area of resource benefit and resource revenue sharing opportunities;
• supporting MOECC in the review of MNRF's request for an amendment to Declaration Order MNR-75 for approval to undertake forest management on the Cat-Slate Forest;
• supporting MOECC as it began the process of adapting forest carbon protocols for Ontario;
• contributing to the sustainability of the Great Lakes through implementation of the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health and related efforts;
• supporting the development of sustainable communities through wildland fire risk mitigation planning and community partnerships;
• supporting land claim negotiations/settlements and implementation of the Crown’s duty to consult obligations for natural resource development;
• participating in regional land-use planning, including co-leading the Coordinated Plan Review (the review of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, the Niagara Escarpment Plan, the Greenbelt Plan and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe), and implementation of the Northern Growth Plan;
• continuing a review of the Conservation Authorities Act, seeking feedback from other ministries, municipalities and stakeholders on conservation authority roles and responsibilities, funding and governance;
• collaborating in enterprise-wide efforts to identify, abate and remediate contaminated sites through a risk-based and coordinated approach;
• implementing year one of the Land Information Ontario (LIO) strategic review to ensure ministries and Ontarians have improved access to authoritative geospatial information using common tools;
• promoting the Ontario Children’s Outdoor Charter, together with other Ontario government ministries and stakeholders focused on the challenge of reducing children’s screen time and getting kids outside;
• facilitating the delivery of the Forestry Growth Fund in cooperation with MEDG, supporting program development and delivery of the Northern Industrial Electricity Rate program, and undertaking line ministry reviews of forest company business plans for a number of ministries;
• working with MIRR and MOECC to develop a wood stove exchange program under the Climate Change Action Plan. Subject to available funds in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Account, it is planned that this program will be launched in 2017-18; and
• partnering with the federal government and other provincial/territorial agencies in completing the Recreational Fishing Survey of Canada to provide quantitative information on angler demographics, angler effort, catch and harvest, expenditures and angler opinion on fisheries in Ontario.

For more information on these and other achievements, refer to the 2016-17 Annual Report.

Ministry organization chart

• Minister - Natural Resources and Forestry
  • Parliamentary Assistant
  • Deputy Minister
    • Executive Assistant
    • Communications Services Branch
    • Legal Services Branch
    • Mining and Lands Commissioner
    • Niagara Escarpment Commission
    • Chief Information Officer, Land and Resources I&IT Cluster (This position has a matrix reporting relationship to OCCIO, MAA, MOE, OMAFRA and MNDM)
      • Business Solutions Branch
      • Cluster Operations Branch
      • Cluster Management Branch
      • Business Consulting Central West
      • Business Consulting East
      • Business Consulting North
    • ADM Corporate Management and Information Division
      • Strategic Management and Corporate Services Branch
      • Strategic Human Resources Business Branch
      • Mapping and Information Resources Branch
    • ADM Forest Industry Division
      • Business Development Branch
      • Forest Tenure and Economics Branch
      • Operations Branch
    • ADM Policy Division
      • Strategic and Indigenous Policy Branch
      • Crown Forests and Lands Policy Branch
      • Species Conservation Policy Branch
      • Natural Resources Conservation Policy Branch
    • ADM Provincial Services Division
      • Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services Branch
      • Enforcement Branch
      • Fish and Wildlife Services Branch
      • Ontario Parks
      • Science and Research Branch
    • ADM Regional Operations Division
      • Far North Branch
      • Integration Branch
      • Northeast Region
      • Northwest Region
      • Southern Region

Download printer-friendly organizational chart

Agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs)

Algonquin Forestry Authority (Classified Agency)

• responsible for forest management, including timber harvesting, in Algonquin Park. The Authority sorts, sells and delivers harvested logs to regional mills. It also may advise on, undertake and carry out forestry, land-management and other programs and projects as the Minister may authorize.

Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (Classified Agency)

• responsible for assessing and classifying species that may be at risk in Ontario.

Council of the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors

• regulates the practice of professional land surveying and governs the profession in accordance with the Surveyors Act, its regulations and bylaws.

Council of the Ontario Professional Foresters Association

• regulates the practice of forestry, and governs its members in accordance with the Professional Foresters Act, its regulations and by-laws. The governing council manages, administers and oversees the functioning of the association.

Fish and Wildlife Heritage Commission (Classified Agency)

• established under the Heritage Hunting and Fishing Act, the Fish and Wildlife Heritage Commission makes recommendations to the minister on ways to encourage people to value our fish and wildlife resources, promote more participation in conservation and other programs, and to search out new fish- and wildlife-related opportunities.

Lake of the Woods Control Board

• regulates the water levels in the Lake of the Woods, Lac Seul and in the Winnipeg and English Rivers between the lake outlets and their confluence.

Nawiinginokiima Forest Management Corporation (Classified Agency)

• responsible for sustainable forest management, and the marketing and selling of wood supplies to both existing forest industry customers and new entrants.

Niagara Escarpment Commission (Classified Agency)

• administers the Niagara Escarpment Plan through promoting the objectives of the plan; processing and making decisions on development permit applications and making recommendations on plan amendments.

Ontario Geographic Names Board (Classified Agency)

• manages and defines the treatment of official geographic names of places and geographical features in Ontario.

Ontario Moose-Bear Allocation Advisory Committee (Classified Agency)

• advises the minister on the allocation of moose among tourist outfitters and on the issues arising from the allocation of black bear management areas of tourist operators.

Ontario Parks Board of Directors (Classified Agency)

• provides advice on planning, management and development of the provincial park system.

Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board

• a partnership among Canada, Quebec and Ontario to formulate and review policies that will lead to integrated management of the reservoirs in the Ottawa River basin.

Rabies Advisory Committee (Classified Agency)

• advises on the scientific steps necessary for developing a successful rabies research and response program, which includes developing suitable vaccines and systems for vaccinating wild animal populations.

Species at Risk Program Advisory Committee (Classified Agency)

• provides advice on matters related to implementation of the species at risk program, other than matters addressed by the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario.

A classified agency, though established by the government, is not considered part of the ministry. However, the government appoints the majority of its members, assigns responsibility to perform a public function and holds the agency to account.

Table 2: Expenditure and revenue data for agencies, boards and commissions

Note: Expenditure and revenue reported in this table are also reported as part of the ministry’s overall expenditure and revenue.

^*Data not available.

Ministry financial information

The following graph depicts the Ministry’s planned 2017-18 expenditures by Vote/Item, sub-item.

Note: numbers may not add due to rounding

Ministry planned operating expenditures by vote/item, sub-item 2017-2018 ($M)

• Regional Operations $148.9
• Forest Industry $166.2
• Public Safety and Emergency Response $100.3
• Fish and Wildlife Special Purpose Account $76.7
• Ontario Parks $91.7
• Provincial Services, Science and Research $48.9
• Policy and Planning $41.9
• Mapping and Geographic Information $8.2
• Ministry Administration $41.7
• Land and Resources Information Technology Cluster $29.1^*
• Total Planned Expenditures by Activity $753.6

^* (spends $82.0 million and recovers $52.9 million for a net balance of $29.1)

Ministry planned expenditures 2016-17 ($M)

• Operating $753.60
• Capital $70.80
• Total $824.40

Table 3: Operating and capital summary by vote

The Ministry oversees the management and conservation of Ontario’s natural resources, including forests, fisheries, wildlife, Ontario’s provincial parks and protected areas, mineral aggregates, petroleum resources and Crown lands.

The Ministry envisions a healthy and naturally diverse environment that enables and contributes to sustainable development in Ontario

The Ministry’s mission is to manage our natural resources in an ecologically sustainable way to ensure that they are available for the enjoyment and use of future generations.

The Ministry strives to achieve its vision and mission through promoting knowledge of Ontario’s natural resources, their management and opportunities for enjoyment; strengthening management of natural resources to ensure ecological integrity and resilience; and increasing natural resource-related economic benefits through innovation and sustainable resource management.

^* Estimates, Interim Actuals and Actuals for prior fiscal years are re-stated to reflect any changes in ministry organization and/or program structure. Interim actuals reflect the numbers presented in the 2017 Ontario Budget.

Appendix: 2016-17 annual report

2016-17 Achievements

Biodiversity management

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) continued to work with the Ontario Biodiversity Council to assist in implementing Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy, 2011 (OBS), including communicating the findings of the State of Ontario’s Biodiversity 2015 Report. The report assesses the progress against Ontario’s 15 biodiversity targets. The ministry supported the Council in developing a new strategic agenda to 2020 that focuses the Council’s activities on enhancing ecosystem resilience and addressing the issues of biodiversity loss and climate change using an integrated approach. In addition, the ministry was invited to represent Ontario at the United Nations Conference of the Parties 13 on Biological Diversity and the 5^th Global Summit of Cities and Subnational Governments where the OBS, Ontario Biodiversity Council and State of Reporting were profiled on the global stage and recognized as a leading subnational government effort to achieve international biodiversity targets.

The ministry, together with 15 other ministries, continued to implement Biodiversity: It’s In Our Nature, which confirms the government’s commitment to biodiversity conservation and outlines the actions that Ontario government ministries will take to achieve the vision and goals of Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy.

In recognition of the increasing concern that children are detached from nature and the outdoors, the ministry, together with partners, continued to promote the Ontario Children’s Outdoor Charter. The charter outlines 12 outdoor activities that children should do before their teen years.

In 2016-17, the ministry continued to work with Forests Ontario to plant 50 million trees in southern Ontario. The ministry continued to implement the Government’s commitment to plan two million trees in urban areas.

The ministry continued to implement the Endangered Species Act through:

• publishing provincial recovery strategies for 10 more species, for a total of 118 species with strategies completed since the Act came into force in June 2008;
• completing government response statements for 13 species, bringing the total number of species with a completed response statement to 114;
• completing habitat regulations for 33 species whose habitat is protected through regulation; and
• completing Progress Reports five years after the publishing of a government response statement for 27 species at risk, for a total of 42 species.

In anticipation of the expiry of the forest operations regulation under the Endangered Species Act in 2018, the ministry continued efforts to develop an integrated, efficient policy framework that meets the regulatory requirements of both the Crown Forest Sustainability Act and Endangered Species Act. The goal of a new framework is to provide for the protection of species at risk and establish a climate of certainty for the forest industry.

The ministry provided approximately $5 million to projects that helped to protect and recover species at risk and their habitats.

• The Species at Risk Stewardship Fund Program (SARSF) distributed $3.3 million in funding to 54 projects through individual grants to numerous organizations.
• The Species at Risk Farm Incentive Program distributed $400,000 to over 100 stewardship projects on privately owned agriculture lands that support the protection and recovery of species at risk and their habitats.
• The Species at Risk Research Fund for Ontario distributed $500,000 to 23 projects.
• In addition, 2016-17 marked the second year of strategic grants under the SARSF program, with $320,000 going to the Nature Conservancy of Canada Ontario "Recovering Species at Risk in Priority Natural Areas" Initiative and $300,000 to Alternative Land Use Services Species at Risk Habitat Initiative.

The ministry continued to implement the Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan. The plan provides a cross-ministry provincial management framework to better address threats posed by invasive species. The objectives of the plan focus on the prevention, early detection, and rapid response to new invaders, and the effective management of existing invaders when eradication is not possible.

The Invasive Species Act came into force in November 2016 and aims to address concerns surrounding the prevention, detection, rapid response and eradication of invasive species and to promote collaboration between governments and with partners.

The ministry has continued to:

• implement priority actions in the Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan together with OMAFRA, MOECC and MTO, such as working with MOECC to expand the list of herbicide tools available to control invasive plants like Phragmites;
• monitor forest health and work with the federal government and other partners to manage pests and invasive plants that threaten our forests;
• oversee the operation of the Forest Renewal Trust and the Forestry Futures Trust, which fund stand management and pest control in respect of forest resources among other activities;
• eradicate aquatic invasive species that infect Ontario’s water bodies, including water soldier in the Trent and Black rivers, water chestnut in Voyageur Provincial Park and at Wolfe Island, and tench from a site near Orangeville;
• conduct surveillance and monitoring for Asian carp in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, and participate in responses to grass carp detections with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans;
• work with partners and other governments to monitor for invasive species in neighbouring jurisdictions which pose a threat to Ontario, including the presence of Asian carp in the United States and hydrilla in the Niagara River;
• partner with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters to deliver extensive programs to raise awareness of invasive species, how to prevent their spread, and how to report suspected occurrences;
• partner with the Ontario Invasive Plant Council to develop management and eradication tools, such as best management practices for aquatic invasive plants;
• fulfill commitments made by the Council of Great Lakes Governors and Premiers of Ontario and Quebec to address threats posed by invasive species to the Great Lakes such as taking action on the Governors' and Premiers' Least Wanted List of Aquatic Invasive Species. For example, ecological risk assessments have been conducted for all species, socio-economic risk assessments are under way, and discussions on risk assessment harmonization/reciprocation have occurred with Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. In addition, the Mutual Aid Agreement is implemented when required; and
• support the Invasive Species Centre at the Great Lakes Forestry Centre in Sault Ste. Marie. The centre promotes co-operation, collaboration and efficiencies in invasive species management and helps coordinate provincial, national and international efforts to address the spread of invasive species and the negative effects they can have on the health of Ontario’s ecosystems and economy.

The ministry continued to make progress on modernizing Ontario’s fish and wildlife management programs through the application of the ministry’s risk-based approach to modernization of approvals and applying the principles of a broader landscape approach.

The ministry provided hunting opportunities to more than 450,000 hunting Outdoors Card holders and generated over $20 million in hunting licence sales in 2016-17.

Wildlife disease detection and monitoring continued. In partnership with the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, the ministry continued to undertake surveillance to detect white-nose syndrome in bats as well as enhanced surveillance for emerging fungal diseases of concern, such as snake fungal disease and chytrid fungus in salamanders and frogs. Annual risk-based Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance was conducted in the Manitoulin Island/North Shore area in 2016. Over 460 samples were collected from hunter harvested deer and all tested negative for CWD. In total, over 1,300 specimens were tested for a variety of wildlife diseases and pathogens.

The ministry continued implementation of the pilot expansion of the spring bear hunt which provides additional economic opportunities to smaller communities and additional recreational hunting opportunities to Ontarians. Monitoring of the pilot continues.

The ministry continued to manage the recreational fisheries that are enjoyed by over one million anglers and contribute almost $2.2 billion to the Ontario economy.

The ministry continues to manage the commercial fishery which generates an estimated $35 million dollars in landed value.

The ministry has been working with both an internal team and an external stakeholder group to develop, evaluate and consult on approaches to a variety of topics related to use and harvest of bait (i.e. baitfish and leeches).

Ontario continues to support the operation and delivery of the Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario, a world-renowned freshwater research facility that supports research to help us understand the many threats to clean water, through an agreement with the International Institute for Sustainable Development to provide up to $2 million annually for four years, beginning in 2014.

The ministry continued its development of new ways to market and generate revenue for the Fish and Wildlife Special Purpose Account to support fish and wildlife programs, including the continuation of a Learn to Fish program in partnership with the Ontario Parks Learn to Camp program. The Learn to Fish program was successfully expanded to include a mobile unit which attended outreach events across the province to promote fishing opportunities.

Fish culture stations provided approximately 8.9 million fish for stocking purposes.

Fish ON-Line, a web-based application that anglers can use to find information on Ontario’s vast fisheries resource, continues to be a tremendous success. During the 2016-17 fiscal year, Fish ON-Line received over 179,100 page views, a 16 per cent increase over the previous fiscal year. In addition, a number of enhancements were made to the application, including the development of a version for mobile devices released in April 2012, and improved functionality of the application.

In 2016, Ontario, in partnership with the federal government and other provincial/territorial agencies, completed the Recreational Fishing Survey of Canada to provide quantitative information on angler demographics, angler effort, catch and harvest, expenditures and angler opinion on fisheries in Ontario.

Support continued for the Joint Strategic Plan for the Management of Great Lakes Fisheries by working with the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission Plan signatories (Canadian and US Federal and US State jurisdictions) to coordinate fisheries and environmental management planning to support international agency collaboration, sustainable fisheries and invasive sea lamprey control.

In 2015-16 the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) continued to promote and strengthen the Community Hatchery Program: 41 community hatcheries received program funding to support general operating costs, and 24 of these also received small capital improvement grants to improve hatchery operations. The program has benefited from increased program communications and profile through a variety of media including:

• radio show interviews with community hatchery operators;
• Angler and Hunter Hotline articles in the Ontario Out of Doors magazine;
• a new Facebook page;
• a Program brochure; and
• several presentations delivered on the program.

The ministry is building on the success of the past three years and entered into a new three-year agreement with OFAH in 2016 to continue to deliver the Community Hatchery Program.

Since its 2013 launch, the Land Stewardship and Habitat Restoration Program’s $300,000 annual fund has helped improve, restore or create more than 2,587 hectares of habitat including plantings of over 119,000 trees and shrubs, supported the hiring of 204 people, and leveraged over $2.5 million in project-partner funding. In 2016-17 the program supported 23 projects that focused on advancing biodiversity conservation at the landscape level, achieving the restoration, creation or enhancement of over 700 hectares of land, with the support of over 149 partners.

In 2016-17, the ministry continued delivery of its core science functions, including applied research, provincial inventory, monitoring and reporting, and the provision of scientific expertise to support natural resource management decision-making.

The ministry continued its successful rabies management programs in 2016-17. Research focused on the continued implementation and efficacy of the oral rabies vaccine known as ONRAB®, which is in its eleventh year of use in the province. Nearly 220,000 ONRAB® baits were distributed in the Hamilton area in response to the new cases of raccoon rabies in December 2015, with an additional 1.6 million baits being distributed within 50 kilometres of positive cases throughout 2016. Surveillance to document the distribution of positives cases and inform the design of our continuing control program has been ongoing since the first case was confirmed. The rabies control work in the Hamilton area is being carried out with the active collaboration of partners, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, MOHLTC, OMAFRA, and the local Health Units.

In 2016-17, the ministry implemented the second year of the ministry’s Integrated Science Action Plan (ISAP). This is an ongoing, cross-ministry effort to continue to align scientific work with ministry priorities and to inform future policy and program drivers. This action plan provides a mechanism for the ministry to make well-informed decisions when setting science priorities. For example, risk assessment has helped to focus resources and management discussions around the greatest needs. ISAP is now supporting identification of long-term foundational science priorities and how to balance these with time-sensitive science needs.

To further modernize the ministry’s broad science portfolio, the Integrated Monitoring Framework initiative developed a suite of recommendations to modernize terrestrial and aquatic monitoring programs within the ministry. In 2016-17, development began on options for implementing these recommendations in the future. Monitoring activities provide information to assist policy development and implementation, and provide a basis to understand the current state and trends related to natural resources. They also inform and support resource allocation decisions and help promote understanding of broader factors that impact the resilience of our natural resources. Modernizing the ministry’s approach to monitoring natural resources helps ensure a healthy and diverse environment that continues to contribute to the conservation of resources and sustainable development in Ontario.

The ministry continued to deliver professional enforcement operations including outreach, inspection and investigation services to protect provincial resources.

Natural heritage and protected area management

In 2016-17, Ontario’s system of parks and protected areas remained stable at 10.5 million hectares, or about 10 per cent of the province’s terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

The ministry continued to make progress on management planning for the Whitefeather Forest Dedicated Protected Areas, and additional planning processes for provincial parks and conservation reserves. Management direction examinations were completed for several provincial parks and conservation reserves.

In 2016, Ontario’s provincial parks received more than 10.5 million visits from people from around the world, which supported local economies across the province. Ontario Parks continues to fund the majority of annual operating expenditures via revenue from park user fees, with revenues to the Ontario Parks Special Purpose Account of over $85 million in the 2016 season. Construction of roofed accommodation projects continued in some parks, complementing car camping options for visitors during the 2016 camping season.

In 2016, Ontario Parks continued its Healthy Parks, Healthy People initiative. This initiative showcases the link between visiting parks and a healthy lifestyle. On July 15, 2016, Ontario Parks offered free day use at all provincial parks to celebrate Healthy Parks, Healthy People.

In August 2016, Ontario Parks again held the 30×30 Challenge in which visitors were encouraged to sign up and spend 30 minutes per day in nature for 30 days. The number of individuals who registered to participate increased to 1,320, up from 598 in 2015.

The Learn to Camp program was delivered to over 3,500 participants with a 96% satisfaction rate.

Ontario Parks successfully introduced the new revitalized Natural Heritage Program across more than 30 parks with over 400 cumulative programs delivered. Ontario Parks increased the scope of education programs offered from 42 to 59, which were delivered to 2,038 students.

Far North

Under the Far North Act, communities that have completed plans – Pikangikum, Cat Lake, Slate Falls, Pauingassi and Little Grand Rapids – are now working with the ministry on implementation. Implementation activities include Pikangikum and Cat Lake-Slate Falls pursuing sustainable commercial forestry, and the dedicated protected areas of Pauingassi, Pikangikum, and Little Grand Rapids playing a key role in seeking UNESCO World Heritage Status.

In August 2016, MacDowell Lake First Nation posted its community based land use plan Terms of Reference on the Environmental Registry. Seven other First Nation communities completed their Terms of Reference: Deer Lake, Marten Falls, Eabametoong and Mishkeegogamang, Webequie, Wawakapewin and Constance Lake. Four of these First Nations are located in the Ring of Fire area. Ten other communities are working with the ministry in the various stages of preparing community based land use plans, from capacity building, mapping traditional knowledge, collecting background information, to preparing draft Terms of Reference. Seven others are engaged in ongoing discussion to renew or explore interests in planning. Advanced science and information projects were carried out to support planning. They resulted in improved resource inventories and surveys (e.g. biodiversity, natural heritage and aquatic assessment pilot); increased research and monitoring (e.g. stream gauges, fish mercury and peatland carbon research), and the application of decision support tools (e.g. Ontario Flow Assessment Tool and hydrology data training). Topographic, land cover and disturbance mapping of sufficient scale and quality for land use planning has been produced, and mapping products have been provided to First Nation communities.

The ministry continued working with First Nation community members to seek advice on preparation of the Strategy and the establishment of a joint body. Three Minister’s Orders were issued to allow developments important for a sustainable economy that benefits First Nations to proceed under the Far North Act.

Crown land, water and non-renewable resource management

Crown lands managed under the Public Lands Act make up approximately 77 per cent of the province’s land mass, with an additional 12 per cent of Crown land held as provincial parks and conservation reserves.

The ministry responded to numerous requests for use and access to Crown lands for a wide variety of economic, recreational and social activities, and ensured that any authorized activities were conducted in a manner consistent with the ministry’s legislation, regulations, policies and planning direction.

The ministry managed approximately 11,000 tenants to provide sustainable revenue to the Crown. It also monitored Crown lands to protect them against unauthorized occupation.

The ministry advanced new proposed legislative amendments to the Public Lands Act to establish a modernized approach to regulating occupations on public land. In addition, as part of its ongoing modernization of the Act, the ministry implemented key amendments associated with compliance and enforcement.

As part of its long-term commitment to ensuring compliance with the government’s Non-Tax Revenue framework, the ministry undertook rigorous assessment and costing estimates of several administrative fees collected under the Public Lands Act.

The ministry continued to implement the five-year pilot program partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada to streamline Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act approvals for small low-hazard dams associated with a wetland conservation project.

The ministry also worked closely with partner ministries, dam owners, First Nations, the waterpower industry and other stakeholders to implement new technical guidance and requirements for repairs to existing dams, and to modernize Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act approval requirements by providing updated direction for managing water levels and flows at existing waterpower facilities.

As both a key provincial regulator and owner of dams, the ministry enhanced its role and involvement in the Canadian Dam Association to further collaboration and advancement of dam safety.

Aggregates

Building on the Standing Committee recommendations, and input from stakeholders, and Indigenous communities, the province released a consultation document "A Blueprint for Change" in the fall of 2015. This document outlined proposed changes to modernize and strengthen the Aggregate Resources Act(ARA) policy framework. Following review and consideration of input received on the Blueprint for Change document, the government introduced Bill 39, the Aggregate Resources and Mining Modernization Act on October 6, 2016. This is the first step in a phased approach toward stronger oversight in the management of aggregate operations. Should the bill pass, the intention is to move forward with consultations on proposed changes to the regulations.

The ministry is working on finalizing policy proposals on the details of new pit and quarry applications and changes to existing approvals; impacts to agriculture and water resources, including rehabilitation information and requirements, particularly with respect to agricultural lands; recycled aggregate materials; and aggregate fees. The changes will involve legislative and regulatory amendments and revised provincial standards, through a comprehensive phased approach including legislative amendments, followed by regulatory and Provincial Standard changes (should legislative changes pass).

The ministry is also in discussions with municipal organizations on aggregate fees to consider opportunities to better address impacts to municipal infrastructure associated with aggregate operations. Also, the townships of Gorham and Ware (just outside of Thunder Bay) were designated in 2016, bringing existing and future aggregate operations on private lands in these townships under the regulatory framework of the ARA. Designating new private land will help level the playing field for aggregate operators in the Thunder Bay area by consistently applying the requirements of the ARA to operations on designated private lands. Ontario has been phasing in the regulation of private lands over time. It is Ontario’s long-term goal to bring the entire province under the Act.

Under the Abandoned Works Program, the ministry safely and successfully decommissioned 6 abandoned petroleum wells located on private land in southern Ontario.

In 2016-17, the ministry received 21 applications from operators of unlicensed private gas wells under the Private Gas Well Licensing Policy and Incentive Program. Of the 21 applications, eight wells have been licensed for use, one licensed for the purpose of 100 per cent plugging under the Incentive Program, one licensed for the purpose of 50/50 well plugging incentive, and 11 applications are in the process of licensing.

The ministry is collaborating in enterprise-wide efforts to consolidate clean-up of contaminated sites. It is leading a $94-million project with local First Nation communities to clean up 16 abandoned radar sites that are part of the Mid-Canada Line dating back to the Cold War. In 2016-17, the ministry initiated clean-up of the five radar sites at Fort Severn and transported waste from the Winisk Doppler Sites.

The ministry has completed the third year of full-scale remediation efforts at the Hawkesbury Lagoon site. The goal of this project is to restore the landfill site to permit passive recreation and return a portion of the restored area to the Ottawa River. In 2016-17, the ministry also continued work on a long-term rehabilitation plan for the Steep Rock Mine Site.

In 2016-17, the ministry supported mineral development in the Ring of Fire by working with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) and the Ring of Fire Secretariat. The ministry continued working with MOECC and MNDM to develop a framework for long-term environmental monitoring, supported the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding with Neskantaga First Nation, provided input to environmental assessment processes, participated in multi-ministry committees, and initiated Indigenous consultation on early permits related to the Ring of Fire. Inter-ministry discussions with MOECC and MNDM were initiated on the requirement and need for a Long-Term Environmental Plan for the Ring of Fire Area. Further work will continue in 2016-17.

Indigenous relations

The ministry supported land claim negotiations, settlements and implementation of the Crown’s duty to consult obligations for natural resource development. The ministry supported a flood claim settlement and implementation of what is called the Mishkee Settlement with Mishkeegogamang Ojibway First Nation in 2015. Since then, the ministry, district and legal staff continued to work with Canada, Ontario Power Generation and Hydro One to complete the land transfer portion of the agreement. This process was anticipated to take two years to complete and all parties are working to reach mutual agreement on the technical details necessary to transfer the lands to the First Nation.

The ministry continued to support the Algonquins of Ontario comprehensive land claim negotiations towards Ontario’s first modern treaty. The Government of Canada, the Ontario government, led by the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, and the Algonquins of Ontario have been negotiating the claim for over 20 years. In June 2015, the three parties released a Proposed Agreement-in-Principle that reflected several significant changes as a result of the public consultation activities. On October 18, 2016 the three parties signed the Agreement-in-Principle paving the way to begin negotiations toward a final settlement agreement.

In October 2012, in Federal Court both Ontario and Canada took the position in the Alderville litigation that the Williams Treaties did not include a surrender of the pre-existing treaty rights of the Williams Treaties First Nations (WTFN) to hunt, trap, fish and gather for food, social and ceremonial purposes in their traditional territories covered by Clause 3 of the Williams Treaties. Since that time, the WTFN, Ontario and Canada have worked together with a view to giving effect to certain treaty harvesting rights in a manner that is consistent with this position. Currently, Ontario, Canada and the seven First Nations are continuing to work together towards resolving the litigation out of court.

Renewable energy

The ministry worked with the Ministry of Energy (MOE), Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and MOECC to implement the Long-Term Energy Plan and associated energy procurement programs, and to support renewable energy development opportunities on Crown and private lands while ensuring protection of natural heritage. This included supporting provincial project tracking in collaboration with the Renewable Energy Facilitation Office, ongoing litigation, Environmental Review Tribunal hearings, and enhancements to the ministry’s Renewable Energy Atlas.

The ministry also worked with IESO to align the renewable energy site access process on Crown land with Ontario’s Feed-in Tariff 4 and Large Renewable Procurement 1 programs, including development of a memorandum of understanding to ensure alignment of administrative priorities.

The ministry supported renewable energy generation on Crown land through implementation of the Renewable Energy on Crown Land Policy. Royalties of almost $120 million were generated annually from waterpower generation sites and other facilities.

The ministry continued to support a collaborative bird and bat monitoring database with Bird Studies Canada.

Forestry

The ministry continues to sustainably manage Crown forests, which supports over 172,000 direct and indirect jobs in over 260 communities across the province. In 2015-16, the total revenue generated from Ontario’s forestry sector exceeded $15.5 billion. In 2016-17, the total value of exports of wood products, logging, pulp and paper and furniture product manufacturing was $6.76 billion to all destinations globally, with the United States accounting for more than 95 per cent of all exports. This is up from $6.25 billion in 2015-16.

Twelve Independent Forest Audits were completed in 2016 and action plans are being developed in response.

The ministry continued to make progress on modernizing the Independent Forest Audit program, which included adopting a risk-based approach to refine the audit scope and prepare short, balanced audit reports.

The ministry prepared the State of Ontario’s Natural Resources – Forests 2016 Report which was tabled by the Minister in January 2017. This report is a requirement of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act and Declaration Order MNR-75, and provides information on the state of and trends in the social, economic and environmental indicators of Sustainable Forest Management.

In implementing Declaration Order MNR-75, the ministry has completed consultation on revised Forestry Manuals that provide planning efficiencies for the ministry and the forest industry, and supported meaningful involvement of First Nation and Métis communities while continuing to ensure forest sustainability and environmental protection.

The ministry completed reviews of the Forest Management Guide for Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Landscapes and the Forest Management Guide for Conserving Biodiversity at the Stand and Site Scales. The ministry completed its work on the Silviculture Enhancement Initiative and is developing policy instruments to implement the policy decisions. Revisions have been proposed to the Forest Operations and Silviculture Manual, and further technical direction is being developed for forest managers.

As part of Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP), the ministry started work on multiple aspects of the Plan’s Action area entitled "Agriculture, forests and lands: Productive, sustainable, and a pathway to creating offsets." Actions in this section of the CCAP focus on moving Ontario further towards a circular economy that diverts all waste; ensuring a better understanding of how to measure the flow of carbon and the role of natural systems in climate change mitigation and adaptation; and improving soil health to protect food security and maximize carbon storage.

The ministry is supporting MOECC as it began the process of adapting forest carbon protocols for Ontario. As well, the ministry initiated a public dialogue on forest carbon policy by releasing a discussion paper titled "How might Ontario’s managed Crown forests mitigate climate change?" This discussion paper was a first step in developing forest carbon policy for Ontario.

The largest wood supply competition ever held in North America was completed in 2011, and the ministry continues to implement the results. A total of 46 Supply Agreement offers were made. Seven supply agreements to date have been approved for execution, including five in 2016-17. Draft supply agreements have been reached with eight proponents, and these are moving through the approval process. An additional 11 supply agreement offers are in various stages of completion. Twenty proponents have elected not to proceed to supply agreements and the ministry has withdrawn these offers of wood supply. Wood supplies freed up from withdrawn wood supply offers have been added to the volumes reported in the ministry’s Available Wood Report. The reports inform parties interested in new economic development opportunities in Ontario’s forest industry of the location and volumes of available wood supply.

Since 2011, responsibility for managing a number of forests, previously managed by Sustainable Forest Licence holders, has been returned to the Crown. Through a number of initiatives, including issuing Forest Resource Licences to Indigenous companies in the North, the ministry has ensured that tree harvesting and associated economic benefits can continue.

The ministry continues to work together with Cat Lake and Slate Falls First Nation in seeking Environmental Assessment Act coverage for forest management to allow development of a new forestry opportunity. The ministry is supporting MOECC in its review of the ministry’s request for approval of an amendment to Declaration Order MNR-75 to undertake forest management on the Cat-Slate Forest. This Declaration Order outlines the environmental assessment process that must be followed when planning forestry on Crown land to ensure that potential environmental effects and public and Indigenous input are considered before forestry operations begin.

The ministry continues to implement the province’s Forest Sector Resource Revenue Sharing framework to improve relationships and economic benefits for First Nation communities. In the spring of 2015, the ministry received approval to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding and Transfer Payment Agreement for the first pilot with local First Nations in the Martel and Magpie Forest Management Units. Approval was received in January 2016 for the second pilot project for the Temiskaming Forest in the Kirkland Lake and Earlton area. Both pilots were implemented and are expected to conclude at the end of 2016-17. The ministry will be conducting an evaluation of the pilots to gain information that will inform its work on broader resource revenue sharing. MIRR and MNDM are working together to act on Ontario’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report – "The Journey Together: Ontario’s Commitment to Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples" in the area of resource benefit and resource revenue sharing opportunities. The ministry has participated in early engagement with Indigenous thought leaders and Provincial Treaty Organizations to understand their perspectives on the prospect of resource revenue sharing in the forestry and mining sectors.

The ministry continues to work toward enhancing the competitiveness of the forest industry through the Forest Tenure Modernization program. The first Local Forest Management Corporation (Nawiinginokiima Forest Management Corporation) continues to evolve towards an effective and efficient vehicle for increasing the social and economic value derived from Ontario’s public forest. The agency and the ministry are currently in the process of issuing sustainable forest licences for the Big Pic and Pic River and White River Forests to the agency. The organization has developed a productive working relationship with local and Indigenous communities and forest industry stakeholders. There has also been progress made in modernizing tenure through a transition to Enhanced Sustainable Forest Licences. Discussions are under way on the Lac Seul and Magpie and Martel Forests.

The ministry has worked with the Provincial Forest Tenure Oversight Group to undertake a review of the new and existing forest tenure models that manage forests in Ontario. The Oversight Group has considered the results of the review showing how each model demonstrates the objectives of forest tenure modernization and is preparing a report to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry with recommendations concerning the future direction in the modernization of forest tenure.

In 2016-17, the ministry delivered the Provincial Forest Access Roads Funding Program’s full allocation of $70 million. This funding supports road maintenance and construction of public forest access infrastructure that support forest harvest activity, mining companies, tourism, cottagers, anglers, hunters, Indigenous communities, utilities, railways and emergency management.

The ministry worked closely with the Ministry of Economic Development and Growth to launch the Forestry Growth Fund, a new funding stream under the Jobs and Prosperity Fund. The first successful application was approved in October 2016 and additional proposals are currently at various stages of the assessment process. Forestry Growth Fund support will leverage new investment that will improve productivity, support innovation, enhance competitiveness, support new market access, and strengthen supply chains and regional economies.

The ministry worked with MNDM (together with MOF and MOE) to finalize the rules for the Northern Industrial Electricity Rate (NIER) program to reflect the change from a temporary to permanent program. As of February 2017, NIER has provided $240.8 million to large forestry mills in Northern Ontario.

The Ontario Wood Promotion Program supported efforts to foster a culture of wood use in Ontario. This included support to the Canadian Wood Council’s Woodworks initiative for the provision of technical advice for architects and engineers to take advantage of recent changes to the Ontario Building Code that allow wood buildings up to six-storeys. Support was provided to the Bluewater Wood Alliance, which is a cluster of wood manufacturing companies in southwestern Ontario, to promote Ontario’s wood, and Forests Ontario which provides programing to educate youth and Ontarians about the forest management practices and the industry in Ontario. Under this program, funding is also provided to FPInnovations for the implementation of a number of projects that are helping to develop novel forest products and support the adoption of technologies that improve the forest sector.

Ontario has cooperated with a number of other provinces and the federal government through the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers to meet with key consumers of Canadian forest products to assure them that our forests are managed in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner. For the past two years Ontario has chaired the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers' Forest in Mind Program. Annually, Ontario attends a number of trade and investment marketing events focused on promotion of Ontario as a supplying jurisdiction of choice and highlighting sustainable forest management practices as a key part of the rationale supporting the import of Ontario forest products by international customers. The Forest in Mind program is a collaborative, proactive market intelligence and advocacy program of the Council supported by Canadian missions abroad. It undertakes on average 30 events/initiatives per year, to position Canada as a world leader in sustainable forest management and environmental stewardship, and to protect and enhance market access for Canadian forest products.

The ministry continued its efforts to support the export of Ontario wood products through participation in consumer and trade events and by supporting incoming buyers' missions. In 2016-17, the ministry organized the participation of Ontario wood product manufacturers in six consumer and trade shows across North America, and hosted an incoming lumber buyers' mission from India in September 2016. In February and March 2017, four more trade events were organized in India, Italy and the United States. India is a fairly new market for Ontario’s wood products and represents a significant opportunity for the export of hardwood lumber and pre-fabricated log and timber frame homes.

Public safety and natural hazard emergency response

The ministry continues to protect Ontarians from natural hazards, including response to spring flooding which requires collaborative efforts with local communities, conservation authorities and other agencies. The Surface Water Monitoring Centre continues to strengthen its early warning system to protect Ontarians from flood and drought/low water hazards. The ministry continued to support the development of sustainable communities through wildland fire risk mitigation planning and community partnerships.

The ministry responded to the spring evacuation of Kashechewan First Nation; approximately 1,100 residents were evacuated due to ice break up conditions on the Albany River. The summer of 2016 saw two declarations of emergencies due to heavy rainfall which caused infrastructure flooding in the Township of O'Connor and the City of Kenora. There was one flooding-related significant event in the community of Ingolf which experienced a road washout, though it did not result in an emergency declaration.

Throughout the late summer and fall of 2016, the Surface Water Monitoring Centre supported Provincial Emergency Management Coordinators in communicating, coordinating, and evaluating a potential provincial emergency as thousands of residential drinking water wells dried up across southeastern Ontario.

Over the course of the year, the Centre issued 278 flood and drought messages.

The 2016 wildfire season in Ontario included a few challenging wildfires in Ontario and deployment of resources across Canada. The ministry recorded 626 fires affecting a total area burned of 82,995 hectares. Notable fires were in Kenora and Red Lake which crossed into Ontario from Manitoba and burned a total of 76,219 hectares. Three fires caused highway closures for over 24 hours in both directions: two near Hearst and one near Wawa. In 2016, Ontario provided personnel and aircraft resources for wildfire management through mutual aid agreements.

In 2016-17, the ministry completed construction and opened both the Haliburton Fire Management Headquarters and the Sudbury Forest Fire Management Centre.

Facility upgrades and detailed design continued for the Rinker Lake Attack Base and Dryden Fire Management Centre in northwestern Ontario, and construction of the North Bay Fire Management Headquarters in northeastern Ontario continued.

The ministry, working in collaboration with MOECC, Environment Canada and CN, had responded to two serious train derailments involving spills of crude oil that occurred in Regan Township and Jack Township in Northeastern Ontario in February and March 2015. The ministry supported remediation efforts at both sites in 2016-17.

Corporate management

The ministry introduced young people to natural resource management by offering more students summer jobs than any other ministry. Over 2,000 jobs were offered in 2016-17 through the the Indigenous Youth Work Exchange, First Nations Natural Resources Youth Exchange, Summer Employment Opportunities and Stewardship Youth Ranger programs. The ministry’s employment programs give Ontario’s young people the opportunity to obtain meaningful work experience, develop practical, personal and professional skills, and gain a deeper appreciation of their role in the stewardship of Ontario’s natural resources.

The ministry implemented the Land Information Ontario strategic plan to benefit Ontario communities through increased data quality and improved access to low-cost geospatial information using standardized data and common tools.

The ministry is completing facility renovations in support of ministry program delivery across the province. These projects have contributed 130,717 rentable square feet of accommodations space savings to the government’s overall space reduction targets over the past four years.

The ministry continues to take responsibility for the clean-up of its legacy contaminated sites, undertaking projects to ultimately reduce the overall provincial liability. The ministry has captured the necessary data and prioritized its sites using the consolidated risk-based approach to the remediation of contaminated sites.

Ministry interim actual expenditures 2016-2017 ($M) ^*

• Operating $796.4
• Capital $65.4
• Staff Strength (as of March 31, 2017)^** 3,841.98

^* Interim actuals reflect the numbers presented in the 2017 Ontario Budget.

^** Ontario Public Service Full-Time Equivalent positions.

Who to call

For questions or comments, please contact:

Office of the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry
Whitney Block, Room 6630
99 Wellesley Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1W3
Phone: 416-314-2301

or

Communications Services Branch
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Whitney Block, Room 5440
99 Wellesley Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1W3
Phone: 416-314-2114

Further information about the ministry and its programs can be found on the ministry’s website.