Access to practical tools & resources to help Canadians better understand and conserve wetlands.

Description

Wetland Policy for Prince Edward Island is intended to complement existing legislation, regulations and operational policies protecting wetlands. All wetlands in P.E.I. currently receive some protection under Section 10 of the Environmental Protection Act. This Policy is intended to accentuate the importance of maintaining wetland functions and values and recommends appropriate mitigation mechanisms to ensure no net loss of wetlands and wetland function.

Despite protection given wetlands under existing legislation, permits can be issued (in the public interest) that result in the wetland loss and degradation. While consideration is given to minimizing damage, there is no policy in place requiring the proponent to compensate for the loss of wetland or wetland function and value. Under a policy of No Net Loss (NNL) of wetlands and wetland function, the proponent would be required to provide funding or conduct the work to replace wetland lost "in the public interest." Wetland replacement would consider wetland function, area, type of wetland, geographic context and time frame.

The policy outlines the mitigation process, a hierarchical approach to wetland protection from development, starting with avoidance of wetlands as the top priority. In the rare case where the effects of development on wetlands cannot be avoided entirely (for the greater public good), such effects would be reduced to the greatest extent possible through the second step in the sequence, minimization. Following the minimization process, the proponent would be required to redress the wetland lost through the compensation process, the third step in the procedure.

Additional Information:

Regions: Prince Edward Island, Canada

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Submitted by: WetlandNetwork