I oppose Bill 5. I want…

I oppose Bill 5.

I want stronger environmental protections in Ontario, not weaker protections to benefit industry and construction. I oppose any shortcuts for industry to build faster and with less public oversight. This bill is masquerading as something good for the people while it just aims to override existing laws in special economic zones.

The "housing, transit, and critical infrastructure" this bill aims to expedite should in fact be slowed, not sped up. It's been proven that expanding the suburbs and creating new highways does nothing to help with the housing crisis or to reduce traffic, and in fact cause greater traffic and pollution while keeping home ownership out of reach of the masses, or increasing long commutes for work.

Canada voted recently for a stronger sovereign nation not to follow the example of the current U.S. government, and this bill is one step closer to the kinds of deregulations by the Trump government that destroys protection of land, water and wildlife. This bill should be scrapped, and instead more power should be given to indigenous land and water defenders and environmental protection laws.

The Ford government is more concerned with economic growth than to see our habitats thrive and protected from the destruction caused by construction, expansion, and climate change. If Ford wants to "unleash the economy", Ontarian demand a green transition to increase jobs and infrastructure to usher this province into a new future of zero emission cities and 100% renewable energy. Bill 5 is not the answer.