Summary of Ontario’s…

Summary of Ontario’s Legislative Changes (10 Schedules, 2025)

These are the potential benefits the province is looking to secure:
Faster Project Approvals, especially in Special Economic Zones and Ontario Place.
Streamlined Energy Procurement allows the government to prioritize local or aligned suppliers in energy projects of its choosing.
Flexible Development Tools allows the government to modify or exempt regulations in priority zones

Key Concerns If Implemented - the ‘not-so-hidden’ cost:

Indigenous Rights Overlooked:
Though artifacts may be returned to Indigenous communities, the broader exemption powers and lack of consultation could undermine Indigenous stewardship of land and heritage.
Erosion of Democratic Participation:

Environmental Oversight Weakened:
Several laws now limit or bypass public consultation, especially under the Environmental Bill of Rights. This reduces transparency and accountability.

Species Protections Rolled Back:
The new Species Conservation Act replaces the stronger Endangered Species Act, softening legal protections and enabling more development in sensitive habitats.

Legal rights to comment, appeal, or sue over environmental and development decisions are restricted or extinguished in several areas, limiting public and legal recourse.

Key Concerns specific to Schedule 7:

Loss of Control Over Ancestral Lands:
The Minister can now order inspections on any land, even underwater, without consent. This could include traditional territories, raising the risk of intrusion, disruption, or claims on culturally important areas without involving Indigenous voices.

Barriers to Accessing Sacred Artifacts:
The law blocks anyone from touching or moving potential artifacts until a licensed archaeologist says it’s okay. This creates a colonial gatekeeping system, where Indigenous people may be denied access to their own cultural items or sites.

Artifacts Could Still Be Taken First, Returned Later—If at All:
Although some artifacts may be handed to Indigenous communities, this only happens after they’re seized. The power to decide where artifacts go still lies with the Minister, not the community they belong to.

Cultural Sites Can Be Ignored for Development:
The government can now exempt lands from heritage protections to prioritize housing or infrastructure. That means sacred or significant Indigenous sites can legally be bulldozed and communities have no legal way to stop it or seek justice.

Increased Surveillance Without Consent:
Investigators have new powers to search, seize, and demand documents—raising concerns about surveillance of Indigenous groups, cultural organizations, or businesses involved in heritage protection or repatriation efforts.

What It Means:

It would grant the government the power to conduct land inspections without consent, restrict Indigenous access to their own artifacts, and enable the seizure and control of cultural heritage. Even worse, sacred sites are now exempt from protection, opening the door for their destruction. These moves fuel surveillance, cultural erasure, and the irreversible loss of land and history - without accountability.