Dear Premier Ford, I…

I strongly oppose Bill 5: the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act and its deeply concerning proposals, including the weakening of Ontario’s endangered species protection and the creation of Special Economic Zones.

The Special Economic Zones Act (Schedule 9) would allow the Provincial Cabinet to grant exemptions from municipal and provincial regulations for certain proponents and projects. This gives the Cabinet unprecedented powers and is unacceptable.

The new Species Conservation Act (Schedules 2 & 10) would strip away real protections for at-risk species and their habitats. We are in a biodiversity crisis and a climate crisis. Now is the time to double down on protecting vulnerable species at risk and critical habitats, rather than weakening protections.

For species such as the threatened Boreal Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), which require large contiguous areas, this new definition would only cover a tiny fraction of their critical habitat. Projects previously requiring permits, if their activities were to threaten a species at risk, would now simply be required to register.

These changes proposed in Bill 5 may also undermine Indigenous communities’ right to free, prior, and informed consent for projects taking place on their territories.

Bill 5 and the potential increase in forest degradation for industrial use may negatively impact commercial tourism, given the large number of travellers, both Canadian and international, who frequent the boreal forest for recreational purposes.

I urge the government of Ontario to:

Cancel Bill 5 and the plans to scrap the Endangered Species Act or implement “regulation-free zones” for resource extraction.

Commit to strengthening the Endangered Species Act and withdraw Bill 5 immediately.