I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my deep concern about the proposed Bill 5.

We are in a global biodiversity crisis. In Ontario alone, more than 230 plants and animals are at risk. The healthy forests, waters and wetlands that species at risk rely on sustain all Ontarians. Protecting the entire habitat that species rely on, and not just their dens and nests, is essential to protect both endangered species and Ontario residents' health and wellbeing.

I believe that it is essential to:
– Cancel Bill 5 and cancel plans to scrap the Endangered Species Act or implement “regulation-free zones” for resource extraction.

– Commit to strengthening the Endangered Species Act.

Rather than significantly weakening protections for species at risk, Ontario should be safeguarding biodiversity, respecting Indigenous rights and ensuring local communities benefit from the ecosystem services that nature freely provides.

Endangered species populations are continuing to decline in Ontario. This demonstrates that current conservation efforts need to be strengthened, not weakened like this bill would do. Endangered species cannot survive without healthy habitats. Only protecting individual animals and plants and their dens or breeding habitat is highly likely to lead to continued population decline and potential extinctions. Furthermore, allowing these habitats to be destroyed puts Ontarians at greater risk of environmental hazards like flooding, heat waves, erosion, and infrastructure damage, since healthy ecosystems shelter us from these hazards.

Furthermore, we are also in a climate crisis. Severe storms, heat waves, and unpredictable weather are already affecting communities across Ontario. Strong regulations to safeguard Ontarians by protecting ecosystems and reducing emissions are essential. However, the Special Economic Zones Act, 2025 is a dangerous and unwise piece of legislation that is likely to do the opposite. Providing current and future governments with the ability to waive regulations as they see fit will very likely result in undue harm to people and the environment. Regulations on development and resource extraction exist to protect Ontarians from harm. No government should have the power to choose when and where these laws applies. While the current government may be confident in their capacity to apply this legislation wisely and safely, once this law is on the books any future government could misuse it to jeopardize worker's rights, Indigenous rights, and environmental and public safety. No amount of economic growth can justify risking the health and wellbeing of Ontarians by exempting projects or proponents from regulations.

I know that I and my fellow Ontarians will be watching the outcome of this bill, and are prepared to exercise our rights to ensure that we can continue to live in a safe and healthy environment in Ontario. I urge the Ministers and government to make the right decision and cancel Bill 5.