I have serious concerns…

I have serious concerns about the proposed Bill 5. I don’t believe this Bill will Protect Ontario or “unleash” our economy in a positive manner. Environmental and Cultural protection laws are in place to protect our land for future generations. Development at the expense of the environment is short sighted of the province. I fear the decision makers are becoming so far removed from the land that they no longer see how important it is and how it is our responsibility to care for it. Mines and other large scale development are complex and extremely risky for the land, water and communities they are established in. Development is important to our infrastructure and economy but should be done carefully and thoughtfully, not pushed through in an exploitive manner. This Bill will further jeopardize species at risk that are already at risk due to rapid and widespread human made development. It would also undermine the rights of Indigenous people to be properly consulted. Indigenous governments must not be excluded from participating in these important decision making processes. This is not appropriate and would leave Indigenous communities no other recourse than litigation which would be costly and time consuming for both parties.

Special Economic Zones where provincial laws and municipal by-laws do not apply do not belong in a democratic place like Ontario. Designating a “Trusted Proponent” or a “Designated Project” using criteria yet to be developed sounds very fuzzy and open to personal biases. This type of power to override laws and by-laws is not in the best interest of the environment or democracy. This would put too much power in the hands of the government that happens to be in power at the time. There needs to be accountability. Economic prosperity sounds good but if decisions are made recklessly, the money is fleeting and the long term effects can be costly in many ways – environmental degradation, loss of water quality, loss of habitat and entire species, loss of trust, and legal ramifications.

Recent Bills such as Bill 23 and 185 have already significantly cut environmental protections and the rights of adjacent landowners and third parties to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal. This proposed Bill would be a further degradation. The population of Ontario has more than tripled since the 1950s so there are much greater demands on the land and water. This means we can’t afford to go back to a 1950s mentality of lack of environmental protections. We have to be that much more careful to protect the land and water to ensure a sustainable future.

By making changes to the Endangered Species Act to ‘balance’ conservation with the economy is essentially a statement by the province that they are willing to lose Species at Risk and their habitats if it may be beneficial for short term economic gain. Limiting protections for an animal to only the den or nest will limit their chances of surviving drastically. Protecting an animal by not harming its den or nest does not protect the necessary breeding, feeding, migratory and other areas that are necessary for that species to survive into future generations. This change would not ensure the conservation of a species. The proposed changes, such as to a registration-based permitting system will also reduce consultation and make it easier for proponents to get authorization for activities that may impact a Species at Risk or their habitat. The province needs to do better than this.

Please reconsider this Bill as it makes me fear for the direction our province is headed in. If the province won’t protect our land and water and takes away our rights to do so, including those of our Indigenous communities, the future of the province is bleak.