**1. Undemocratic…

**1. Undemocratic Concentration of Power**
- Bill 5 gives the Premier and Cabinet unprecedented authority to override provincial and municipal laws, bypassing the legislature and public oversight
- The bill allows the government to designate "special economic zones" where almost any law can be suspended for selected individuals or companies, with no meaningful checks or balances.

**2. Threat to Environmental Protections**
- Bill 5 repeals Ontario’s Endangered Species Act and replaces it with a much weaker regime, removing meaningful protections for endangered, threatened, and special concern species
- The new process allows developers to begin work immediately after online registration, eliminating expert review and safeguards for species and habitats
- The bill also terminates environmental assessments for major projects, risking irreversible harm to ecosystems like the Ring of Fire region

**3. Undermines Indigenous Rights and Consultation**
- Bill 5 enables the government to exempt projects from requirements to consult Indigenous communities, violating treaty rights and constitutional obligations
- Indigenous leaders have strongly opposed the bill, stating it threatens their lands, heritage, and sovereignty

**4. Weakens Community Voices and Public Participation**
- The bill streamlines or bypasses archaeological assessments and public input, silencing local communities and experts in decision-making about development and land use

**5. Risk to Clean Water, Air, and Healthy Communities**
- By removing environmental safeguards, Bill 5 puts Ontario’s water, air, and public health at risk, prioritizing short-term economic interests over long-term well-being.

**6. Sets a Dangerous Precedent**
- Allowing Cabinet to exempt any person, company, or region from any law for any reason undermines the rule of law and could be abused for political or private gain