March 22 AGM Meeting Minutes - Toronto Zoo

In Attendance
Chair, Dave Ireland, Toronto Zoo
Coordinator, Mandy Karch, Toronto Zoo
Director, Noah Gaetz, TRCA
Director, Jackie Scott, CLOCA
Ontario Road Ecology Group
Annual General Meeting
Toronto Zoo, March 22, 2011
Meeting Minutes
Members:
Cat Beattie, Citizen Scientist
Brenda Carruthers, MTO
Sue Carstairs, KTTC
Brennan Caverhill, Toronto Zoo
Charlotte Cox, CVC
Joe Crowley, MNR
Heather Garbutt, MTO
Kari Gunson, Eco-Kare Int.
Marlo Johnson, MTO
Kim Laframboise
Rick Levick, LPCIP
Andy McKinnon, Citizen Scientist
Adele Mochrie, MTO
Paul Prior, TRCA
David Restivo, Dillon Consulting
Lynda Ruegg, KTTC
Cameron Smith, A2A
Brad Steinberg, MNR
John Urquhart, Ontario Nature
Beth Williston, TRCA
Agenda:
1. Financial Up-date – Grants: Our bread and butter since 2007
2. OREG Governance, Directorship and External Relationships
3. Sponsorship/Long-term funding (included in Agenda item 1)
4. OREG Business Plan
5. Database Management
6. Spring Outreach Strategies

Minutes:
1. Financial Update
Since 2007, OREG has operated on project-based funding. Table I is a summary of funds
granted in the past three years.
Table I: Project-driven funding secured by OREG since 2009.
Granting
agency
Year Project Total $$
received
Where the
$$ went
What we did
Environment
Canada -
HSP
2009/
2010
Project 400 $31,500 Coordinator,
consultants,
GIS software
Habitat modelling, outreach
Canadian
Wildlife
Federation
2009 Project 400 $8000 Consultants Habitat modelling, outreach
Canadian
Environment
al
Assessment
Agency
2010 Hwy. 407 East
Extension
$6750 Consultants Analysis of mitigation
strategies for proposed Hwy.
Environment
Canada –
HSP
2010/
2011
Project 400:
Phase II
$32,000 Coordinator,
meeting,
“Guide to Road Ecology in
Ontario” book, outreach,
meeting
Rouge Park
Alliance
2010 Restoration,
roads and
wildlife
$10,000 Coordinator,
equipment,
consultants
Report 2010: impact of roads
on wildlife in RP
Rouge Park
Alliance
2011 Restoration,
roads and
wildlife
$30,000 Coordinator,
2x student
staff,
consultants
Report 2011: impact of roads
on wildlife in RP

• Future Funding
o HSP 2011-2013 – pending
o MTO
Through RFP process during EA phase
~Follow model of Southern Gateway Council
o Establish long-term, sustainable funding/sponsorship that is independent of
project driven funding to support:
Operating budget (office space and supplies, etc.)
Employ a coordinator
Employ 1-2 road ecologists
Financially compensate Board of Directors for their time and expertise
Host road ecology meetings and conferences
ACTIONS:
1) Write a letter to MTO leveraging ESA 2007 and biodiversity; the services OREG
provides to MTO/MNR –*please see the list below; Importance of road ecology to
MTO’s EA process, strategic goals (Figure 1) and mandate to contribute positively
to greater sustainability in Ontario. (Copy letter to Environmental Commision).
Figure 1. Strategic Goals as outlined in the Sustainability in Sight strategy
developed by MTO.

2) Develop the Business Plan to present to potential supporters (e.g. corporate
funding, private funding, government funding (note - MTO currently provides financial
support to the Southern Gateway Council))
3) Fund raise
*Services OREG Provides:
• Raise awareness about road ecology threats and solutions
o Website, www.wildlifeonroads.org
o Brochures
o A Guide to Road Ecology in Ontario
o Permanent road ecology display at the Toronto Zoo
o Community stewardship events, Outreach & Education
o Acamedic conferences
o Meetings (e.g. conservation group council meetings)
• Data collection & exchange
o Opportunistic – Wildlife Sightings Database (www.wildlifeonroads.org)
o Rigorous - Circuit runs (Eco-Kare Int.), Citizen Scientist groups (e.g. Heart Lake
Road in the City of Brampton, and Restoration, Roads & Wildlife in Rouge Park, in
the future – MTO EA data collection – partner with academia, CAs, consultants)
o Data exchange with partners (e.g. NHIC, Ontario Nature, MNR, CAs, Rouge Park,
Ontario Turtle Tally, Frog Watch Ontario, Adopt-A-Pond)
• Facilitate working partnerships
o e.g. SAR Area Awareness Sign – MTO, MNR, non-gov't agencies
• Coordinate research
o e.g. BACI Study (MTO, academia)
• Advise and make recommendations to MTO for sustainable transportation practices.
Aim to get involved during the initial planning phase, work with legislation (e.g. ESA
2007) and provide road ecology solutions to protect biodiversity, motorist safety and
save long-term costs (e.g. by identifying mitigation sites early on and incorporate
strategies in the planning/construction phase or during a road up-grade project such as:
road re-surfacing, widening or realignment).
o Liaise with MTO, consultants, MNR regarding various road projects and ways to
incorporate road ecology
• Data collection techniques (i.e. which data to collect, materials needed and protocols) to
facilitate EA process and provide accurate site data
2. Governance
• Board of Directors
o Obligated to fulfill OREG's six priority objectives
o Maintain funding for the Group
• Open nominations for new Board of Directors; attendees at AGM were asked whether
they could commit to 2 year term; 2 candidates available – to discuss at Sept B of D
conference call
• Encourage diverse Board membership to facilitate communication and coordination
among agencies (e.g. government, non-government, academic, etc.)
NOTE:

o OREG is as relevant, if not more relevant, than when the need was first
determenined in 2005 at the Massasauga Workshop hosted at the Toronto Zoo
o Having OREG with a governing B of D sends a positive message to the public
that road ecology issues are being addressed in a coordinated way
o Agencies (MNR, MTO, CAs, consultants, not-for-profit organizations) express
the need for OREG and seek the Group as a resource
Coordinate inter-agency partnerships to fulfill the goal of accomplishing
protection for biodiversity across Ontario
ACTIONS:
1) Follow up with potential B of D candidates.
4. OREG Business Plan
Item deferred; B of D to have working draft completed by Fall 2011
5. Database Management
Item deferred
6. Spring Outreach Strategies
Item deferred; all attendees were briefly asked to spread word to all contacts to watch for
and report on wildlife-vehicle collisions this spring, especially any SAR animals