I strongly oppose Bill 5,…

I strongly oppose Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act. This legislation poses a serious threat to Ontario’s natural heritage, democratic processes and Indigenous rights.

Bill 5 proposes to repeal the Endangered Species Act — one of the few tools we have to protect at-risk wildlife and the ecosystems they depend on. Replacing it with vague “goals” and unenforceable measures will lead to the further decline of species already on the brink. This is not modernization. It’s deregulation that puts short-term industrial gain ahead of long-term ecological and community health.

Equally alarming is the creation of “special economic zones” that would allow cabinet to approve major development projects without proper environmental assessment, public input or Indigenous consultation. This short cut for the Premier’s developer donors undermines transparency, accountability and Ontario’s duty to uphold Indigenous rights and treaties.

The vast majority of Ontarians have not asked for weaker protections or less say in decisions that affect the province’s land, water and future. Bill 5 would silence community voices, marginalize science and erase decades of hard-won environmental progress.

Green space in Ontario is not merely "empty" land that has simply not been developed. It is our our lungs and our water and the current home of countless species who have as much right to exist as humans. We can get ahead without paving over all of southern Ontario - but it will take a bolder vision of what that might look like.

I urge the Ontario government to withdraw Bill 5 in its entirety and instead work with environmental experts, Indigenous leaders and the public to strengthen — not dismantle — our systems of environmental protection.

Protecting nature is not a barrier to economic growth. It’s the foundation of a healthy, resilient and just society - one that we should in good conscience be able pass down to the many generations to come.