I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my strong opposition to Bill 5 and the proposed repeal of Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA), to be replaced by the Species Conservation Act, 2025 (SCA). While I appreciate the need for economic development and infrastructure improvements, this bill represents a dangerous step backward for species at risk in Ontario and undermines decades of hard-won environmental protections.

The proposed shift to a “registration-first” approach for activities likely to harm species or their habitats prioritizes expediency for developers over the protection of vulnerable wildlife. Allowing projects to proceed immediately upon registration — without thorough review, oversight, or permitting processes — will result in irreversible harm to species and ecosystems, particularly when the consequences of these actions may not be fully understood until it’s too late.

Further, the proposed changes to the definition of “habitat” and the removal of terms like “harass” from species protections significantly weaken safeguards for the province’s most threatened animals and plants. Habitat protection must encompass not just immediate dwelling places but the broader ecosystems species rely on for survival, migration, and recovery.

Additionally, giving the government discretionary power to add or remove species from the protected list, rather than requiring automatic listing based on COSSARO’s independent scientific assessments, risks politicizing species protection. Decisions about the survival of at-risk species must be guided by science, not by short-term economic interests.

While the proposed increase in funding for voluntary conservation programs is welcome, it cannot replace the critical regulatory framework the current ESA provides. Conservation initiatives work best in tandem with strong, enforceable legislation — not as a substitute for it.

I urge the government to withdraw Bill 5 and meaningfully engage with environmental experts, Indigenous communities, and the public to strengthen Ontario’s protections for species at risk, not dismantle them.

Ontario has a responsibility to future generations to preserve its rich biodiversity. Economic growth should not come at the cost of our natural heritage.