- Weakened habitat…

- Weakened habitat protection measure

Bill 5 schedule 10 will override existing protections for species at risk by replacing the Endangered Species Act, 2007 with the Species Conservation Act, 2025, may weaken habitat protection measures.

- No attempt to restore species numbers

No requirement to ensure species will have adequate environmental conditions needed to restore species numbers. There is no attempt to restore numbers of species at risk.

- International agreements Canada has signed on Biodiversity will be eroded

Permitting for projects with harmful impact on species at risk will be at the whim of the minister of environment, conservation and parks, with no requirement for scientific data to support decisions.

- Species at risk will decline and die for short term economic benefit

The protection of species at risk is in effect being gutted and the responsibility to protect species at risk will be at the discretion of industry. This represents a major change in policy direction: it acknowledges that species at risk will be allowed to die off if there exists a short term economic benefit.

- Biodiversity and conservation goals - UN Convention of Biological Diversity

Canada and Ontario are required to meet biodiversity conservation goals in order to meet international agreements such as UN Convention of Biological Diversity and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Target 1 goals and timelines:

2020 - 17% of Canada’s land and inland waters, 10% of marine and costal areas.

2025 - 25% of Canada’s lands and waters will be protected by 2025

2030 - 30% of Canada’s lands and waters will be protected by 2030

https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/biodiversi…

As of 2025, the Government of Ontario continues to play a crucial role in fulfilling Canada's commitments under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). While international treaties are signed at the federal level, their implementation in Canada is a shared responsibility among federal, provincial, and territorial governments.

In summary, the proposed provisions in Bill 5 stand in stark contrast to Ontario's stated biodiversity objectives, potentially jeopardizing the province's environmental integrity and commitments to conservation.

https://ontariobiodiversitycouncil.ca/wp-content/uploads/Ontarios-Biodi…