I strongly oppose Bill 5,…

I strongly oppose Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act. This legislation poses a serious threat to Ontario’s natural heritage, democratic processes and Indigenous rights.

Bill 5 proposes to repeal the Endangered Species Act — one of the few tools we have to protect at-risk wildlife and the ecosystems they depend on. Replacing it with vague “goals” and unenforceable measures will lead to the further decline of species already on the brink. This is not modernization. It’s deregulation that puts short-term industrial gain ahead of long-term ecological and community health.

Equally alarming is the creation of “special economic zones” that would allow cabinet to approve major development projects without proper environmental assessment, public input or Indigenous consultation. This bill undermines transparency, accountability and Ontario’s duty to uphold Indigenous rights and treaties.

The proposal that would allow the government to arbitrarily remove species from the list to be protected, without this being recommendation by COSSARO or independent scientific review, makes a mockery of the goals of a science driven process. The redefinition of habitat in the bill to the tiny area of a “dwelling”, “den”, etc. and the area immediately surrounding it, demonstrates a profound ignorance of the requirements for protecting at risk species. This would be equivalent to saying that a person only needs their primary residence for survival but does not need access to groceries, water, or a job. No human could survive under these circumstances, so defining the necessity habitat for a species in these extraordinarily narrow terms would be essentially a death sentence.

Ontarians have not asked for weaker protections or less say in decisions that affect the province’s land, water and future. Bill 5 would silence community voices, marginalize science and erase decades of hard-won environmental progress.

I urge the Ontario government to withdraw Bill 5 in its entirety and instead work with environmental experts, Indigenous leaders and the public to strengthen — not dismantle — our systems of environmental protection.

Protecting nature is not a barrier to economic growth. It’s the foundation of a healthy, resilient and just society.