Proposed Bill 5, "Protecting…

Proposed Bill 5, "Protecting Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act," is not just a misleading title, it’s a calculated smokescreen, in fact, the devil’s in the detail. Split into ten separate schedules with clashing ERO numbers and rammed through under a rushed 30-day consultation, this fragmented approach is a textbook case of regulatory sleight-of-hand. It’s designed to overwhelm, confuse, and silence public and expert voices. Just like the Greenbelt grab, it reeks of a developer-first agenda - fast-tracking sprawl while gutting environmental safeguards. What’s at stake isn’t just process, but principle: the deliberate dismantling of protections and leaving the public with little to no recourse.

Specific to Ontario Place proposed legislation: By exempting Ontario Place and related projects from public consultation under the Environmental Bill of Rights, the government is dismantling transparency and silencing the voices of Ontarians. This move opens the door for environmentally destructive decisions to be made behind closed doors, with no opportunity for the public to challenge or hold those in power accountable. It’s an outright erosion of democratic participation in decisions that affect us all and the damage will be much farther reaching than Ontario Place - it will also include the proposed yet stalled 413 and proposed Bradford Bypass.

I strongly oppose the components of the 10 schedules of Bill 5. This Bill dismantles Ontario’s science-based species protections, narrowing the definition of habitat and granting the government unchecked discretion. By prioritizing rapid development, it abandons ecological responsibility, decimates Indigenous rights, and erodes democratic oversight. The result is devastating: at-risk species are left with no meaningful protections, no clear path to recovery, and communities are stripped of any legal recourse. This Bill doesn't just weaken environmental safeguards - it puts the future of our ecosystems and rights in jeopardy.
Detailed ERO input response to each Schedule is attached.