Please do not repeal the…

Please do not repeal the Endangered Species Act through Bill 5.

The amendments being proposed look like they weaken the protections to an extreme degree, which will cause long term harm to the province. We need these eco-systems including its wildlife. The proposed ne measures have vague “goals” and measures that are going to be unenforceable.

This is not modernization. This puts short-term industrial gain ahead of long-term ecological and community health, which is and will be necessary for sustainable economic growth.

If environmental assessments are taking longer than they should make efforts to do them better and faster. Allowing approval of major projects without assessments or input is going to lead to mistakes that can't be fixed.

This is a short cut on too important an issue. It undermines transparency and accountability.

The province’s land, water and future depend upon sensible development with an awareness of the short and long term impacts. Bill 5 erases decades of hard-won environmental progress and recognition of what can go wrong if our resources are not conserved.

I urge the Ontario government to withdraw Bill 5 in its entirety and instead work to strengthen our systems of environmental protection
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I agree with the Suzuki foundation. Protecting nature is not a barrier to economic growth. It’s the foundation of a healthy, resilient and just society.