I am reaching out to voice…

I am reaching out to voice my opposition to Bill 5 and request that the bill be withdrawn in favour of one that upholds the protection of Ontario’s at-risk species.

I am deeply concerned that this dangerous rollback of biodiversity protections could accelerate species extinctions and ecosystem collapse. This is being done in the name of fast-tracking economic development, however it puts at risk the very nature that sustains us, providing clean water and food, cooling, flood mitigation and carbon storage.

Bill 5 would put unprecedented power into the hands of the Ontario government, giving Ministers the authority to ignore local communities, Indigenous rightsholders, independent scientists and all municipal and provincial laws with zero accountability.

To ensure Bill 5 doesn’t threaten the economy that it’s supposed to empower, the government needs to ensure our natural world remains protected by addressing:

• The dangerously narrow redefinition of “habitat” to exclude many of the areas on which endangered species depend — including feeding grounds — while abandoning recovery efforts for Ontario’s most vulnerable species.

• Removing the scientific basis for species-at-risk conservation decisions and empowering politicians to disregard species protection at their discretion.

• Removing the “Register First, Assess Later” clause that allows developers to begin work that impacts species at risk and their habitats by simply self-registering their projects — without environmental assessments, government permits or any oversight until it’s too late.

• Creating “Special Economic Zones,” where environmental legislation can be circumvented entirely, allowing developers to disregard damage to nature and harm to wildlife caused by their work.

• Undermining the fundamental rights of Indigenous communities to free, prior and informed consent when it comes to projects on their territories, an essential safeguard for equitable and sustainable development.

Protecting nature isn’t just an environmental imperative, it’s a smart economic investment. Ecosystem services like clean water, pollination and climate regulation contribute billions of dollars to Ontario’s economy each year.

Ontario’s endangered species are not red tape to be removed. To date, this government’s continued dismantling of environmental protections has not spurred economic growth as intended.

Once a leader in nature protection, the Ontario government now seems set on dismantling the laws that have contributed to the prosperity of our province. I implore you to reconsider this piecemeal dismantling of environmental law and uphold your duty to future generations through strong protections for species at risk.