Subject: Opposition to Bill…

Subject: Opposition to Bill 5 – A Threat to Ontario’s Biodiversity and Species at Risk

I am writing to strongly oppose Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025, particularly Schedule 10, which proposes repealing the Endangered Species Act, 2007 and replacing it with the Species Conservation Act, 2025. This bill poses a serious threat to Ontario’s biodiversity and weakens the protections that have helped preserve vulnerable wildlife and habitats across the province.

The proposed changes would:

Weaken habitat protections by limiting the definition of “habitat” to only the most immediate nesting or denning areas, ignoring the broader ecosystems species rely on for survival—like foraging grounds and migratory routes.

Undermine science-based decision-making by giving the government the ability to list or delist species without relying solely on recommendations from the independent Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO).

Allow harmful activities to begin with less oversight through a “registration-first” model that replaces proper environmental assessments and permitting processes, opening the door to further destruction of species and habitats.

Remove protections for many species by excluding migratory birds and aquatic animals already protected under federal law, which creates dangerous enforcement gaps and leaves key species unprotected on provincial lands.

These changes are clearly designed to prioritize short-term industrial or development gains at the expense of long-term ecological health and sustainability. Ontario’s ecosystems and the species that depend on them need stronger protections—not weaker ones.

I urge the government to withdraw these proposed changes and commit to strengthening the Endangered Species Act, not dismantling it. Our province’s natural heritage and future depend on it.