Millions of birds migrate across Ontario each year, but many do not make it. Windows that reflect the sky and clouds can appear invisible to a moving bird, so they continue to fly at high speeds until they fly into the glass and fall to the ground.
FLAP Canada states that over 25 million birds die through collisions with windows in Canada each year. Thankfully, we have a way to dramatically reduce bird collisions with windows, by adopting the Canadian Standards Association’s 2019 bird-friendly design standard into the Ontario building code for all new construction in the province of Ontario. This is a proactive and inexpensive measure that will protect Ontario’s biodiversity for years to come.
To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:
Whereas an estimated 25 million birds in Canada die each year due to collisions with windows on buildings, including many migratory and bird species at risk;
Whereas materials to prevent the collision of birds into windows can proactively be incorporated into the designs of new buildings;
Whereas the Canadian Standards Association has established a national standard for bird-friendly building design which has been adopted by some municipalities;
Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to incorporate the CSA 2019 bird-friendly building design standard into the Ontario building code, requiring bird-friendly materials to be used in new residential and commercial building windows.