To Whom It May Concern, As…

To Whom It May Concern,

As someone who grew up in Ontario, I’ve always been taught that understanding where we come from helps shape where we’re going. Learning about our land’s deep and complex history—both Indigenous and settler—has been a meaningful part of my education and identity. That’s why I feel compelled to speak out against Schedule 7 of Bill 5 and its proposed changes to the Ontario Heritage Act.

If this bill is implemented as written, it will make it possible for major development projects—like transit lines, housing, and healthcare infrastructure—to bypass archaeological assessments. That may sound like an efficiency win to some, but to me and many others growing up in Canada, it feels like a dangerous step toward forgetting who we are.

Archaeology isn’t just about digging up artifacts. It’s about uncovering the stories of people who lived here long before us. It’s about recognizing that this land holds memory, especially for Indigenous nations who have occupied and cared for it for thousands of years. Removing protections for that history sends a message to young people like me that progress means leaving the past behind—and that’s not a future I want to be part of.

Instead of encouraging us to be stewards of our history, this bill could teach a generation to ignore it. Without assessments, sacred sites may be destroyed before they are even identified. Artifacts may never be studied, and the knowledge they could offer—about who lived here, how they survived, what they valued—will be permanently lost.

This doesn’t just hurt historians and archaeologists. It hurts all of us who are trying to make sense of what it means to be Canadian, especially in a country where reconciliation with Indigenous peoples is supposed to be a priority. If the government is serious about reconciliation and education, then it must uphold the processes that support both. Skipping archaeological assessments doesn’t bring us closer to the truth—it buries it.

I want to grow up in a province that respects its roots, not one that erases them in the name of speed and development. I urge you to reconsider the proposed changes in Schedule 7 of Bill 5. Let’s build a future where we develop responsibly—one that honours the full history of the land we’re lucky to live on.

Thanks.