Dr. McKinley holds a PhD in Biological Science, is a Certified Environmental Professional in four disciplines, and is a Registered Professional Biologist (RP Bio). With over fourteen years of professional experience as a Senior Biologist, Dr. McKinley has completed hundreds of Environmental Impact Studies (EIS), Environmental Assessments (EA), and Natural Environment Studies to meet municipal, provincial, and federal regulatory requirements. Environmental Assessment projects have ranged in size from small scale assessments for single building construction, to large Class Environmental Assessments for major infrastructure, development, and mining projects. Dr. McKinley has appeared as an expert witness for the Ontario Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT), and has provided interviews/statements to the media on behalf of his clients. He has also participated in First Nations consultation and public meetings for a variety of projects.

Dr. McKinley has expert level experience working with the Ontario Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Fisheries Act, the federal Species At Risk Act (SARA) and other key pieces of environmental legislation. He is among Ontario’s most experienced Species at Risk (SAR) consultants and has extensive project experience across the province. Recent milestones have included obtaining both the first and second Endangered Species Act permits issued in Ontario to support urban development in threatened Blanding’s Turtle habitat. Working on behalf of clients in eastern Ontario, he also recently obtained the largest permit for endangered Butternut Trees issued in the province to date. He has successfully obtained Endangered Species Act approvals for more than a dozen species, and specializes in permitting for large scale developments with complex environmental requirements. In addition to his work in Ontario, Dr. McKinley has completed projects across Canada, as well as in Australia and Panama.

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