Invasive alien species (IAS) represent the second greatest threat to biodiversity after habitat loss, and their impacts are increasing worldwide with the rise of globalization. Once established, IAS can cause irreparable ecological harm and can threaten human health and food security. This project is in response to the long standing and unresolved issues surrounding IAS in Ontario. With the introduction of Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy and Canada’s commitment to the Convention on Biological Diversity there is a pressing need for a comprehensive assessment of IAS issues in Ontario. In order to move forward Ontario must determine priorities and appropriate management techniques to solve these complex and increasingly pervasive issues.

This research will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to examine current and potential future IAS threats, their ecological and socio-economic impacts, and our preparedness to prevent and manage IAS in Ontario. A comparative analysis of IAS efforts undertaken by other jurisdictions will also be conducted. The goal of this project is to connect scientific knowledge on IAS with appropriate policy in order to meet Ontario’s objectives and commitments relating to biodiversity conservation. The work will be conducted in close consultation with the Ontario Biodiversity Science Forum and the Ontario Biodiversity Council, two advisory bodies guiding implementation of the province’s Biodiversity Strategy. Research results will be used to inform the provincial government’s 2010 State of Ontario’s Biodiversity Report.

Andrea Smith, post-doctoral fellow for IRIS, and her graduate assistant, Tony Morris, are leading this project.

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