To the Office of Premier…

To the Office of Premier Doug Ford,

I am extremely disappointed with the Ford government's renewed efforts to undermine the integrity of Ontario's remaining wilderness, through its latest attack on the Endangered Species Act with Bill 5.

As a professional ecologist with a Master’s degree in Resource Management and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Sustainability, I am extremely disappointed with Bill 5 and Premier Ford's efforts to undermine vital environmental protections. These proposed amendments effectively strip the Act of its power, turning it from a meaningful safeguard for biodiversity into a mere formality that caters to short-term development interests.

This is not responsible governance, it is a blatant and underhanded attack on Ontario’s wildlife and natural heritage. Southern Ontario, in particular, has already suffered extensive ecological degradation. Sacrificing what little remains for the sake of profit-driven development is not only short-sighted but fundamentally unjust. These lands and species belong to all Ontarians, not just to developers.

The environment and industry should not be perpetually positioned as adversaries. A truly forward-thinking government should seek balance, not eradication of environmental protections in favor of economic expediency.

I urge your government to revise Bill 5 and uphold your duty to protect Ontario’s biodiversity for current and future generations.