The NDP finance critic heard a lot of concerns about environmental regulations during a tour through the area.
John Vanthof met with the mayors of Leamington and Chatham and the federations of agriculture. He says they all raised concerns about potential changes to species at risk legislation.
"We have to make sure that when we put new regulations in, that the regulations are actually doing something instead of just creating more red tape," he says. "In our opinion, if society wants to, needs to, protect a species, society has to participate in that protection. (The cost) shouldn't just fall on one sector."
Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope says municipalities have raised the issue with the province and expressed concerns that regulation changes will make it more difficult and expensive to operate agri-food businesses.
