Bill 5 is short sighted and…

Bill 5 is short sighted and will have long-lasting consequences for Ontario's natural resources.
The vital habitat components that species at risk rely on throughout their ENTIRE life cycle will no longer be protected. For example, amphibian breeding ponds may be protected, but the forest surrounding those ponds won't be. The surrounding forest provides critical components such as shade, nutrient input, water retention and extremely important movement corridors. Protecting a breeding pond, without protecting associated habitat components and movement corridors is useless. Species at risk will continue to decline until they become extirpated if this proposal is passed.

The proposed Bill 5 enables Politicians to decide which species are listed as "at risk" instead of relying on independent scientists. This strategic move will keep Ontarians ignorant of how many species are truly at risk of being extirpated and how much critical habitat is being destroyed.

The proper way to speed up approvals is to provide more funding to authoritative agencies, in addition to identifying low-risk projects that can proceed if certain conditions are met. Continual cuts, including during the previous Ford administration, have left the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks critically under staffed and unable to keep up with demand.

This Bill does not balance the environmental, social and economic desires of Ontarians. I do not support Bill 5.