Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI)

Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs) are areas of land and water containing natural landscapes or features which have been identified as having life science or earth science (or both) values related to natural heritage protection, scientific study or education. There are two types of ANSIs – life science and earth science. Confirmation as an ANSI recognizes an area’s natural heritage values.  ANSIs are a critical complement to provincial parks and conservation reserves as they represent important natural features that are not found in protected areas.  ANSIs are located on both public and private lands.

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) selects ANSIs based on scientific surveys of the province’s ecodistricts.  ANSIs may be of provincial, regional or local significance. More than 500 of these areas have been identified across the province.

Once confirmed, provincially significant ANSIs on private land are eligible for the Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program.  

ANSIs are found on both crown and private lands and provide a focus for both the public and private sectors to contribute to the protection of Ontario’s natural heritage.

On Crown land, the Ministry ensures that land uses and activities which occur provide for the protection of identified ANSI values.

On Private lands (within organized townships) permitted land uses and activities within ANSIs are guided by the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS, 2005).  The PPS indicates in section 2.1.4 that “development and site alteration shall not be permitted in significant areas of natural and scientific interest (significant means provincially significant) unless it has been demonstrated that there will be no negative impacts on the natural features or their ecological functions”.   The Ministry, through co-operation with others, attempts to ensure that landowners are aware of significant values on their properties and seeks the owner’s co-operation in the protection of those values.  Owners of provincially significant ANSIs may qualify for the Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program.

This link has been created to give you access to the ANSI Identification and Confirmation Procedure which is currently posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights website. The full text of the procedure document as well as executive summaries in French and English are provided below:

ANSI Identification and Confirmation Procedure (PDF)
Executive Summary (PDF)

The following document and link provide supporting information for the procedure:

ANSI Policy (PDF)
Link to the Provincial Policy Statement