Regional Ecological Sensitivity Criteria - Ontario

Proposed donations of land, or interests in land such as conservation easements, must meet at least one criterion from Category A and one from Category B to be eligible for ecological sensitivity certification. An easement must protect the land’s ecologically sensitive features.

A. Specific Categories

• A1. Significant portions of the habitat of federally or provincially listed species at risk, including endangered or threatened species, or species of special concern;
• A2. Areas designated as Provincially Significant Wetlands;
• A3. Provincial or regional Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest;
• A4. Designated Areas of Concern for biodiversity purposes as identified in Forest Management Plans;
• A5. Lands that are registered under the Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program;
• A6. Areas that are registered under the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program that are managed for wildlife habitat conservation purposes under an approved Managed Forest Plan;
• A7. Areas promoting the conservation of natural heritage and biodiversity that are identified within a regional or watershed plan or strategy developed by a recognized conservation organization;
• A8. Areas designated as a World Heritage Site for biodiversity conservation purposes, a core area of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, or a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention;
• A9. Areas of biodiversity significance identified in a Canadian Heritage Rivers Management Plan or Strategy;
• A10. Areas designated in the Niagara Escarpment Plan as an Escarpment Protection Area or an Escarpment Natural Area;
• A11. Areas designated as Natural Core, Natural Linkage, Sensitive Hydrological Feature, High Aquifer Vulnerability, Significant Landform, Minimum Areas of Influence or Minimum Vegetation Protection Zones within the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan;
• A13. Areas designated for biodiversity conservation purposes within Management Plans or Strategies for the Trent-Severn or Rideau Waterways;
• A14. Areas within a municipal official plan or zoning by-law under the Planning Act (Ontario) designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area, Environmentally Significant Area, Environmental Protection Area, Restoration Area, Natural Heritage System or other designation for similar purposes that are compatible with the conservation of the biodiversity, ecological features and functions of the site;
• A15. Areas within or adjacent to a Provincial Park, Provincial Park Reserve, Conservation Reserve, Conservation Area, Wilderness Area, Provincial Wildlife Area, National Wildlife Area, Migratory Bird Sanctuary, National Park, National Park Reserve or Ecological or Nature Reserve managed by a government or non-government agency;
• A17. Areas identified as Carolinian Canada sites or Carolinian core natural areas and corridors as designated by the Big Picture, natural area mapping program;
• A18. Areas designated as Core Natural Area, Natural Area Buffer, Natural Area Link, or Valued Ecosystem Component in the National Capital Greenbelt Master Plan by the National Capital Commission; and
• A19. Areas designated for biodiversity purposes by regional agencies such as the Niagara Parks Commission, St. Clair Parkway Commission, St. Lawrence Parks Commission and the Waterfront Regeneration Trust.

B. General Criteria

• B1. Significant habitats such as alvars, prairies, cliffs, Great Lakes coastal habitats, old growth forest areas, glacial relic communities and sites with enduring geological features that contribute to biodiversity;
• B2. Areas of wildlife concentration such as bat caves, snake hibernacula, heronries, deer wintering yards and sites used by migratory water birds and other species for seasonal staging, feeding, breeding and like purposes;
• B3. Areas identified, designated or protected as ecologically significant or ecologically important by a government or non-government local, provincial, national or international system or body;
• B4. Significant water bodies, rivers, streams, shorelines, valleys, wetlands, groundwater recharge areas, headwaters and aquifers;
• B5. Significant wildlife or fish habitats;
• B6. Significant woodlands;
• B7. Areas that have significant current or potential for enhanced ecological values through restoration, remediation, management or geographic proximity to other ecologically significant properties;
• B8. Natural buffers and adjacent lands around areas identified under other ecologically sensitive lands categories or criteria that contribute to the conservation of biodiversity;
• B9. Natural links or corridors between areas identified under other ecologically sensitive lands categories or criteria that contribute to the conservation of biodiversity;
• B10. Areas used for long-term scientific study or baseline and benchmark monitoring of biodiversity; and
• B11. Areas that contribute to Canada's environmental heritage through the maintenance of the genetic diversity of species, ecosystem health, or landscape biodiversity, and other natural spaces of significance to the environment in which they are located.

The categories and criteria listed above, for the purposes of implementation of provisions in the Income Tax Act for ecological gifts, have been agreed to by representatives of the Governments of Ontario and Canada.