Ontario Northern Boreal
We are making the case for bigger-picture planning for the Ontario Northern Boreal.
How we work
- We are working with First Nations to support community-based monitoring, which can allow communities to track changes to the values most important to them.
- We have led major population surveys on caribou and wolverine to document how these species are faring in our boreal forests. We continue to research their behaviour and abundance, and the impacts of development – such as roads – on these “umbrella” species.
- Freshwater fish are currently faced with combined impacts from multiple developments and climate change, and we are using models to identify which are the biggest threats, to highlight which species will be most at risk, and to identify which watersheds are the most critical for protecting freshwater fish biodiversity.
- We are working with Moose Cree First Nation to understand the impacts of dams on lake sturgeon in their traditional homeland.
Where we work
Challenges
Resource development
There is growing interest in driving resource development in this globally unique region, particularly to exploit the Ring of Fire, a mineral-rich crescent about 400 km northeast of Thunder Bay. Extracting ore from the Ring of Fire will require building roads and transmission lines through areas that are currently wild forests, lakes, and wetlands, and crossing dozens of rivers and streams.
Roads and infrastructure
Punching roads and utility corridors through this intact area will lead to a cascading series of ecological and social impacts. We know that roads lead to more roads, and more activity in the forest, from mineral exploration to motorized recreation. For caribou and other wildlife, more roads also mean more access for predators, and more threats from humans, a recipe that has led to the disappearance of these animals in areas further south. Habitat changes brought about by forestry and mining will also affect wildlife survival.
Dams
The Ontario Northern Boreal also includes five of Canada’s few remaining undammed watersheds – a very rare commodity among the heavily dammed rivers of North America. Changes to aquatic habitat brought about by hydroelectric projects or road crossings could have big impacts on the more than 50 freshwater fish species found in the thousands of lakes and rivers that make this area as much water as land.
Climate change
On top of all this, climate change is happening fastest at northern latitudes, meaning wildlife are already seeing disruption ranging from more intense fires to warmer waters.
Projects
Identifying key wolverine habitat
We're surveying wolverine populations in northern Ontario to create a clearer picture of where wolverine are – and aren’t.
Ring of Fire
More than minerals at stake
Learning from Lake Sturgeon
Big fish need healthy rivers.
Stories and op-eds
This World Wildlife Day, what are we willing to sacrifice for “progress”?
Constance O'Connor
Turning the frame: What we miss when we rush decisions about nature
It seems like 2025 has been characterized by daily news stories about “fast tracking” development or “cutting red tape.”Justina Ray
Unlimited trapping is the wrong way to study Alberta's wolverines
Using the wrong tool for the job is inefficient and often ineffective, as many Albertans know.Media coverage
Ring of Fire Push Pits Critical Minerals Against Carbon Peatlands, Indigenous Rights
Scientist advises against rushing Ring of Fire road projects
Ford government’s haste in Ring of Fire road development is risky business
Press releases
Steps backwards for conservation in Ontario
On World Environment Day, we are disheartened to see Bill 5 pass into law in Ontario.
New proposal from Ontario prioritizing business over biodiversity snuck out before public holiday
Just before the Easter public holiday, the Ontario government introduced new omnibus legislation: the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025.
