I am opposed to Schedule 8…

I am opposed to Schedule 8 of the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025, exempting every project tied to the Ontario Place redevelopment (and any enterprise or activity that furthers the Ontario Place Redevelopment Project that is not at the Ontario Place site) from Part Il of the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993. These exemptions would remove the requirement for public notice and consultation via the Environmental Registry of Ontario for permits and approvals tied to this project, including those beyond the immediate site.

This proposed exemption significantly undermines environmental transparency and public participation—key principles enshrined in the Environmental Bill of Rights. Schedule 8 will completely eliminate public participation, as well as eliminating informing the public about environmentally significant activities specifically with regard to Ontario Place. Public engagement and oversight are essential, particularly for large-scale infrastructure and redevelopment projects with potentially wide-ranging environmental impacts. Bypassing these processes sets a troubling precedent and diminishes the accountability of decision-makers.

Further, granting broad regulation-making authority under the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act to implement such exemptions raises concerns about the unchecked expansion of executive power in the absence of public scrutiny. This proposed amendment is to benefit private sector initiatives, and it is not in the public's interest,

I urge the government to reconsider this proposal and maintain full adherence to the Environmental Bill of Rights for all aspects of the Ontario Place redevelopment. Ensuring robust environmental oversight is not only a legal obligation but a public trust that must not be set aside for the sake of expediency.