I strongly oppse the…

I strongly oppse the Province's Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025. Some of the specific concerns I have are:

1. Repealing Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007 marking the end of most meaningful provincial protections for endangered, threatened and special concern species in Ontario. Wildlife requires appropriate habitat. A den is not habitat on its own. Imagine your home without a kitchen, bathrooms or any room to roam.

2. Curtailing Indigenous involvement of proposed developments by ending archeological assessment requirements that would identify Indigenous or other cultural values.

3.Creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) without criteria that would be exempt from municipal and provincial law. Lands that could have an SEZ declared by the Minister could in theory include the Greenbelt, the Niagara Escarpment Plan and Provincial Parks and protected areas.

It is critically important to revise the current proposed Bill 5 to address these concerns.