I am alarmed and outraged by…

I am alarmed and outraged by the proposals in ERO #025-0380, which recklessly undermine protections for Ontario’s most vulnerable species. Allowing developers to proceed immediately after registration—without prior review or environmental assessment—amounts to deregulation by stealth. This approach not only jeopardizes endangered species but transfers the burden of risk from regulated actors to ecosystems, communities, and future governments forced to deal with the fallout.

This short-term thinking ignores the profound long-term costs. Biodiversity loss is not a side issue—it is a crisis on par with climate change. As the IPBES has noted, over a million species are at risk globally, and Canada is no exception. We know that ecosystem collapse carries massive economic consequences: degraded ecosystems lead to more floods, crop failures, pollinator loss, and public health risks. Gutting oversight may save money for developers today, but it will cost the public and government far more over time—in emergency response, lost ecosystem services, and restoration efforts that are often too little, too late.

Rather than weakening protections, Ontario should be leading with science-based conservation strategies that recognize biodiversity as a foundational asset. I urge the government to withdraw these amendments and reaffirm its responsibility to protect the natural heritage all Ontarians depend on.

If this Bill passes, I will do everything in my power to mobilize thousands (as I have in the past for other purposes) and incentivize every legal and media connection I have made over the past 25 years working with over 800+ different Ontario stakeholders with experience in advocacy and law.