Don’t let Premier Ford…

Don’t let Premier Ford silence nature — or you

Dear Judy,

Doug Ford’s government is trying to quietly push through Bill 5 — a bill that would repeal Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, weaken environmental protections and hand cabinet the power to fast-track industrial development with no public input.

We can’t let this happen without a fight.

Please take 2 minutes to submit a comment to the public consultation before it closes on May 17.

Need help with what to say? Feel free to copy or adapt the message below:

I strongly oppose Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act. This legislation poses a serious threat to Ontario’s natural heritage, democratic processes and Indigenous rights.

Bill 5 proposes to repeal the Endangered Species Act — one of the few tools we have to protect at-risk wildlife and the ecosystems they depend on. Replacing it with vague “goals” and unenforceable measures will lead to the further decline of species already on the brink. This is not modernization. It’s deregulation that puts short-term industrial gain ahead of long-term ecological and community health.

Equally alarming is the creation of “special economic zones” that would allow cabinet to approve major development projects without proper environmental assessment, public input or Indigenous consultation. This short cut for Ford’s friends undermines transparency, accountability and Ontario’s duty to uphold Indigenous rights and treaties.

Ontarians have not asked for weaker protections or less say in decisions that affect the province’s land, water and future. Bill 5 would silence community voices, marginalize science and erase decades of hard-won environmental progress.

I urge the Ontario government to withdraw Bill 5 in its entirety and instead work with environmental experts, Indigenous leaders and the public to strengthen — not dismantle — our systems of environmental protection.

Protecting nature is not a barrier to economic growth. It’s the foundation of a healthy, resilient and just society.

In my mind, the Ford government pays no heed to interests beyond a money grab by developers and road construction companies. There is no coherent plan for industrial development, and there is no fundamental understanding of the industrial economy in Ontario At All. There is no attention paid to the development of industry beyond a 'build the road, they will come' attitude. Roads built for no purpose are only for developers. The rest of us wish for the government to come up with a plan that enriches us all instead of enriching only a few at the expense of all. When the Ford government wakes up from its daydreams, I hope it will understand that what it is hoping is that the USA will bring a subsidiary to Ontario....please try to understand that when they look for a subsidiary in Ontario, they are hoping for a healthy law abiding well educated workforce grateful for the right to work for a US subsidiary....and right now, Ontario struggles to supply just that. Roads won't fix what is wrong.