I strongly oppose Bill 5,…

I strongly oppose Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act. This is a truly alarming extension of the actions the Conservative government has already taken to dismantle environmental protections and public input.

It is not "protecting" Ontario to repeal the Endangered Species Act and give the provincial cabinet unlimited powers to fast-track major development projects in "special economic zones" without any concern for democratic process, environmental assessment, or Indigenous rights and treaties. In fact it is the opposite of protecting Ontario.

We can't have a strong economy without healthy ecosystems and communities and a healthy democracy. And economic development needs to be done in a way that is transparent, accountable, and evidence-based-- not based on the wheeling and dealing of a government that the Greenbelt scandal has already shown to be corrupt and untrustworthy when it comes to favoring development schemes that line the pockets of its developer friends.

Economic development is obviously critically important for the well-being of Ontarians, as is building more housing. But we have to do these things in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible. This Bill is recklessly short-sighted and it will be a real tragedy if it is passed into law.