I am a lifelong resident of…

I am a lifelong resident of Limehouse in Wellington-Halton Hills and I am writing to express my concern and outrage regarding the Ontario government's proposed Bill 5.

I strongly believe that Bill 5 poses a serious threat to our province's unique natural heritage. Economic growth must not come at the expense of the environment upon which we all depend, especially when the communities most affected are not even given a voice at the table (the residents of Dresden, etc).

I encourage the government to listen attentively to those in the environmental field before voting on this bill. I, and thousands of Ontarians will not remain idle while a handful of companies recklessly extract wealth from our province, while ordinary Ontarians see little or no benefit.

One of my most pressing concerns is the proposed redefinition of “habitat” under this bill. In the case of the endangered Jefferson Salamander, breeding ponds might still be protected—but the surrounding forests these animals rely on for survival throughout the year would not. Does that really constitute meaningful protection? I do not think so.

Furthermore, the bill is troubling from the standpoint of worker safety. The proposed “special economic zones” would be exempt from vital environmental, health, safety, and municipal regulations. This is not responsible governance—it is government overreach. Frankly, I fail to see how this Bill is any different from the evisceration of environmental regulations currently happening south of the border.