Premier Kathleen Wynne is “deliberately dismantling” protections for everything from Crown land to prized species like polar bears, snapping turtles and lake sturgeon, Ontario’s environmental watchdog warns.

In his 190-page annual report, Gord Miller sounded the alarm over an “obscure” change in last spring’s budget that allows Wynne’s cabinet to delegate powers over government-owned wilderness to private companies.

That paves the way for “wide open exploitation” of Ontario’s north without proper checks and balances to safeguard wildlife and precious natural resources, the environmental commissioner charged.

“Why would they change it?” Miller told a news conference, noting 87 per cent of Ontario is Crown land.

“The door is open to make it the wild west . . . without them telling us what they’re up to,” he added. “There’s a lot of wealth, a lot at stake here.”

Miller also raised questions about eroded protections for species at risk, the lack of an action plan to stem invasive species like the Asian carp and emerald ash borer, and the absence of formal monitoring of development in the far north — particularly around the Ring of Fire, an massive area of northwestern Ontario rich in chromite, a key ingredient in stainless steel, and other minerals.

“We have one chance to get things right in the far north,” the commissioner cautioned, saying development proposals are being studied piecemeal without an eye to their cumulative effects.

Natural Resources Minister David Orazietti challenged Miller’s interpretation of the rules around Crown land, saying the new power is only for minor changes on issues like dredging permits and vegetation removal with “minimal” environmental impact.

“No one’s saying have your way with it. There’s all kinds of regulations . . . that continue to play a role in protecting the land and land development,” he added.

“There’s a process for opening a mine, for starting a forestry business. None of that has been removed.”

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle insisted the government is working with industry and First Nations on infrastructure, such as roads, needed to develop the Ring of Fire, along with environmental concerns and sharing of resource revenue.

“We need to get it right the first time.”

The Ring of Fire had a setback in July when the chromite deposit’s biggest private backer, U.S.-based Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., demanded more clarity on environmental assessments of the area north of Thunder Bay.

Since then, troubles have been brewing over the building of a road into the region.

The 5,000-square-kilometre Ring of Fire, about 1,000 km northwest of Toronto and 300 km from the nearest railway line, is considered Ontario’s most promising mineral development opportunity in 100 years.

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Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said the changes of oversight of Crown land were clearly a sop to private industry as the north is opened more and more to development.

“Go to the Elections Ontario website and see who donates to political parties and you’ll see who benefits.”