Bill 5 seems to be the Ford…

Bill 5 seems to be the Ford government's newest attempt to streamline development in Ontario at the cost of environmental protection and Truth and Reconciliation with the First Nations in Ontario. Following are several reasons as to why Bill 5 would decimate Ontario's economy.

1) Job loss. Due to the vagueness of the description as to which developments would qualify for an exemption, it seems like all development would qualify for an exemption. This would result in the environmental consulting sector collapsing and massive job losses across the industry. Many individuals working in the environmental sector have specialized education so that they could work within the industry. The jobs lost in this industry are often well paying jobs with engineering firms and the current job market does not offer similar paying jobs in other industries when you're starting at the bottom of the corporate ladder because Bill 5 destroyed you previous 20+ year career.

2) Environmental degradation. If Bill 5 passes and developments get exemptions to build from the Ford government, it would do irreversible damage to the environment. From the archaeological record buried within the sediments, to the animals which play a crucial role in our agricultural processes, to the plants and trees which provide us oxygen to breathe, all these things listed would be affected and the impact would be devastating. If you cared about the children of today and future Ontario tax payers, we should expand our environmental protection so that the next generation of Ontarians won't need a respirator to go outside and play ball.

3) Truth and Reconciliation. Bill 5 spits in the face of the Truth and Reconciliation Commision and the 94 calls to action outlined in their report. First Nation's Treaty rights, First Nation's traditional land use, and First Nation's Engagement must always be apart of the development because of the atrocities committed against them during the Colonialization of North America, it's guaranteed in their Treaty Rights outline by the Indian Act and without the First Nations, the first settlers in Ontario would have most certainly died off quickly. Without the First Nations, Ontario would not be what it is today.

4) The MASSIVE conflict of interest. Bill 5 appears to be Doug Ford's attempt to allow his contractor buddies to build up Ontario while forcing contractors he's not friends with through the environmental process. Due to his previous tendencies to allow his developer and contractor relationships get away with shady things (buying up the Green Belt weeks before it was conveniently open for developments), Bill 5 seems like a way for Doug Ford to funnel money to his friends who will make "affordable" housing which the people of Ontario will never be able to afford.

I urge this government to rethink its position on Bill 5. Not only would it result in economic losses and instability, it would destroy the environment and the history of this country, as well as costing future Ontario residents the opportunity to breathe clean air. Environmental protection are not just in place to protect the environment, they ensure our future because without the environment, there is no future.