I strongly oppose Bill 5:…

I strongly oppose Bill 5: the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act and its deeply concerning proposals, including the weakening of Ontario’s endangered species protection and the creation of Special Economic Zones.

The Special Economic Zones Act (Schedule 9) would allow the Provincial Cabinet to grant exemptions from municipal and provincial regulations for certain proponents and projects. This gives the Cabinet unprecedented powers and is absolutely unacceptable.

The new Species Conservation Act (Schedules 2 & 10) would strip away real protections for at-risk species and their habitats. We are in a biodiversity crisis and climate crisis. Now is the time to double down on protecting vulnerable species at risk and critical habitats, rather than weakening protections. Once these environmental treasures are lost, they cannot be restored or replaced. So much of what makes Ontario beautiful and unique is thanks to its natural features and wonders. Ontario citizens must be able to count on their government to protect these areas and species so that they can be enjoyed for years to come by future generations.

These changes proposed in Bill 5 may also undermine Indigenous communities’ right to free, prior, and informed consent for projects taking place on their territories. This is inexcusable; the government must keep an unwavering commitment to respecting these rights. There is no meaning in acknowledging the ancestral lands we live on at the beginning of every political speech, only to deny Indigenous communities the right to consent for projects affecting their territories.

Commercial tourism may be negatively impacted by Bill 5 and the potential increase in forest degradation for industrial use, given the large number of travellers both Canadian and international who visit the boreal forest for recreational purposes.

I urge the government to:
● Cancel Bill 5 and the plans to scrap the Endangered Species Act or implement “regulation-free zones” for resource extraction.
● Commit to strengthening the Endangered Species Act.

I urge the government to withdraw Bill 5 immediately.