A property owner and a demolition contractor in Parry Sound, Ont., have been ordered to pay more than $157,000 after work at an abandoned hospital site damaged habitat used by threatened chimney swifts. The large brick chimney had become an important roosting site for chimney swifts during their annual migration. According to Ontario SwiftWatch, chimney swifts have declined across Canada, with population down about 90 per cent since 1970. In 2019, after concerns were raised about the deteriorating buildings, Marble Arch hired an engineer who recommended demolition. Within weeks, the number of chimney swifts using the structure dropped to zero for the rest of the season.

Source: National Post February 25, 2026 12:39 UTC