It was hard to read through…

It was hard to read through the proposed changes and believe that they have any benefit to Ontario's endangered and at-risk species. It is clear that this government's only concern is making it as easy as possible for the private sector to go ahead with any project without oversight.
I didn't think that in 2025 the Ontario government, as we face a global biodiversity crises, would consider repealing the Endangered Species Act. This is completely the wrong direction for this province and prioritized short-term economic gains over long-term preservation of our shared natural heritage for short term profits.

Despite lip service to "science-based assessments by COSSARO", the government's ability to add (unlikely!) or remove species from the Species at Risk in Ontario list undermines this principle and makes it clear that ensuring these species' survival is not a priority for this government. Similarly, the removal of harassment as a harm to species and restricting the definition of habitat to immediate dwellings or root systems, belies a lack of ecological understanding and does not suggest that this proposed ammendment has any serious intent on protecting wildlife. The clear failure of the SCAA, aka "pay-to-slay", highlights this government's disinterest in mediating ongoing destruction of Ontario's natural places.

I further oppose the government gaining unprecedented power to decide which endangered species get added or removed from protection lists on the basis of political and economic considerations rather than reality. Developers can begin harmful activities immediately after self-registration without ministry review or approval. Crucial environmental assessments will be eliminated before damage occurs, with inadequate penalties. These are undemocratic proposals, deliberately avoiding accountability to the legislature. It is shameful that the government would permit hand-picked private entities to be placed outside of our existing provincial and municipal laws.

Environmental laws are not red tape! I would urge the government to withdraw this bill in its entirety and reconsider the importance of a comprehensive plan for maintaining Ontario's natural spaces and preserving our environment for future generations.