I strongly oppose Bill 5 and…

I strongly oppose Bill 5 and the creation of Special Economic Zones. I urge you to withdraw Bill 5 immediately.

This Bill would weaken protection for Ontario’s most at-risk species, go against commitments to reconciliation and climate action, and ignore laws that protect the environment, public health, and Indigenous rights.

We are sustained by healthy ecosystems and the services they provide. The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we use to grow our food are dependent on protected, healthy ecosystems. Protecting biodiversity and habitats directly relates to improved human health.

Safeguarding biodiversity and respecting the rights of Ontarians, particularly Indigenous rights, should be the top priorities.

Bill 5 will only further divide Canadians. Your Provincial Cabinet is seeking unchecked power; it is un-democratic.

As a young person in Ontario, I deserve to be heard. I deserve to have my health, both current and future, protected. I deserve the right to live on a healthy planet. My future is more important than the financial interests of any corporation.

In addition, Ontario’s at-risk species and vulnerable ecosystems deserve the right to be protected. Even if you cannot see the value they provide to us, they hold intrinsic value.

Ontarians deserve better. Ontario deserves better.