I am writing as a…

I am writing as a constituent of Don Valley North and a concerned Ontarian regarding the alarming changes proposed in Bill 5, the “Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025”, particularly concerning environmental protections and Indigenous rights.. Here are my concerns:

Creation of "Special Economic Zones": The bill introduces the "Special Economic Zones Act," which grants the provincial government broad powers to create zones where provincial and municipal laws and bylaws would not apply. This enables potential deregulation and the bypassing of environmental and other safeguards. This enables the Ontario Government to favour certain businesses or projects such as what happened with Therme being given development rights at Ontario Place.

Impact on Indigenous Rights: The bill will infringe on Indigenous rights and interests, particularly regarding land and resource management. The ability to create special economic zones will impact Indigenous territories and treaty rights.

Reduced Environmental Oversight: The bill proposes changes to permitting processes, potentially streamlining development approvals at the expense of thorough environmental assessments. It also removes some of the public oversight of some environmental processes.

Limitations on Legal Challenges: The bill includes provisions that would limit the ability of individuals and organizations to challenge the Ontario Government decisions through the courts.

If Bill 5 is passed:

It will lead to a significant rollback of environmental protections in Ontario.
It will create legal uncertainties and potential conflicts regarding land use and development.
It will negatively impact Indigenous rights and interests.

I do not support Bill 5. Only those individuals or companies that want to take advantage of these circumventions and make a profit, would benefit from the changes introduced by Bill 5.

To me, Bill 5 is giving the Ontario Government the ability to do whatever it wants when it comes to land development, especially in favoring developers that it colludes with, and doing it whenever and wherever it wants to.

I urge you to withdraw Bill 5. The Ontario Government will face serious legal consequences if Bill 5 is passed.