I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the proposed amendments to Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007, and the introduction of the Species Conservation Act, 2025, as outlined in Bill 5. These proposed changes represent a significant step backward in the protection of Ontario's biodiversity and fail to address the urgent need for effective conservation measures.

The shift to a "registration-first" approach for development projects, as proposed in the Species Conservation Act, 2025, could allow activities that harm at-risk species to proceed without adequate permits or site-specific assessments. This approach may lead to insufficient mitigation measures and a lack of accountability for developers, further jeopardizing vulnerable species.

Globally, biodiversity is in decline, with species assessed as at risk in Canada having declined by an average of 59% since 1970. In Ontario, the situation is particularly dire, with over 230 species at risk and habitat loss continuing at an alarming rate. Weakening protections at this critical juncture could have irreversible consequences for our natural heritage.

Beyond just the environmental impact, there will be drastic impacts on communities in surrounding areas when the environment is not deeply considered in development discussions. This is most recently evident in recent developments, including what is occurring at Ontario Place, directly leading to the coyotes who previously inhabited the area now moving to more residential spacing looking for food. This has led to several dog attacks in the Liberty Village area. If these big decisions are left to developers, whose #1 priority is profit, it will be the people living in the community who are left to pay the price directly, and Canadians at large will pay the price with the larger scale environmental impacts.

The proposed amendments to the Endangered Species Act, 2007, and the introduction of the Species Conservation Act, 2025, represent a significant weakening of Ontario's commitment to biodiversity conservation. I urge the government to reconsider these proposals and instead strengthen protections for at-risk species through science-based, enforceable measures that prioritize the preservation of Ontario's natural heritage for future generations.