The prohibitions on harming and harassing species at risk and damaging or destroying their habitat form the backbone of the ESA; the sweeping nature of the new exemptions from those prohibitions has removed the key safeguards in the Act and significantly weakened the protection 6 EnvironmEntal CommissionEr of ontario - spECial rEport and recovery of species at risk. [...] For example, in 2006, the 'at-risk' status of the peregrine falcon and bald eagle improved, both of which were protected under the 1971 Act.4 The provincial government seemed the success of the ESA ultimately poised to continue its leadership relies on effective, consistent and in protecting species at risk with the introduction of the revamped transparent implementation in ESA in 2007. [...] The ministry received 10,034 comments in response to its proposal on the Environmental Registry to make these amendments, demonstrating the public's overwhelming concern for Ontario's species at risk and the intended government direction.6 The importance of these regulatory changes has prompted the ECO to present this Special Report to the Legislative Assembly pursuant to subsection 58(4) of the E [...] It includes an overview of the implementation of the ESA to date, an explanation of the new exemptions created under the Act, and an analysis of the implications of MNR's new approach to regulating species at risk. [...] For a summary of changes to the SARO list since 2008 and an overview of the ESA deadlines met and missed, please refer to Appendix A. 3.1 MnR Delays Half of all Recovery strategies In The Last Line of Defence, the ECO highlighted the importance of adhering to legislated timelines for recovery strategies and management plans and cautioned MNR to use its discretionary powers to extend the statutory