How to get the salamander across the road: exploring the policy intersection of biodiversity conservation and road projects in Ontario

Connecting landscapes around roads is an important element in a broader strategy to help protect and recover biodiversity. In regions like southern Ontario and the Greater Golden Horseshoe, growing urban footprints are leading to an expansion of road networks. Road planning and design has historically fragmented natural habitat and created barriers for wildlife movement. The negative impacts of roads can be mitigated through the creation of wildlife crossing structures that enable safe passage of wildlife over or under roads. This Major Research Paper will investigate key Ontario land use and regulatory policies that intersect with both road projects and biodiversity recovery to evaluate their effectiveness in recognizing biodiversity values and enabling the creation of wildlife crossing structures. Key words: landscape connectivity, wildlife crossing, safe passage, biodiversity, conservation, policy, planning, Ontario, Greater Golden Horseshoe