The proposed *Protect…

The proposed *Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025* prioritizes short-term economic gains at the expense of long-term ecological and economic stability. From an economic perspective, weakening species protections under the *Endangered Species Act* (ESA) risks significant long-term costs that far outweigh any immediate benefits. Biodiversity loss undermines ecosystem services—such as pollination, water purification, and flood control—that are foundational to Ontario’s agricultural, tourism, and recreational industries. A 2020 World Economic Forum report estimated that over half of global GDP ($44 trillion) is moderately or highly dependent on nature. By narrowing habitat protections and eliminating recovery plans, this bill externalizes costs onto future generations, who will bear the burden of ecological degradation, reduced resilience to climate change, and higher remediation expenses. The proposed "registration-first" approach effectively shifts enforcement from proactive oversight to reactive penalties, increasing the risk of irreversible harm before violations are detected—a classic case of market failure where private interests profit at public expense.

Moreover, the bill’s claim of reducing "duplication" with federal laws is economically misguided. While regulatory efficiency is desirable, harmonizing standards downward—rather than upward—creates a race to the bottom, incentivizing developers to exploit weaker provincial rules. This undermines investor confidence in sustainable industries and could trigger trade repercussions if Ontario is seen as lax on environmental commitments. The elimination of mandatory recovery strategies and the discretionary delisting of species introduce unpredictability, deterring long-term investments in conservation-focused sectors. The promised $20 million for voluntary conservation is a fraction of the economic value at stake; for example, Ontario’s green economy already contributes over $8 billion annually. By prioritizing expedited permits over science-based protections, this bill substitutes short-term developer savings for systemic risks that will ultimately constrain economic growth and burden taxpayers with the costs of ecological collapse.