As I understand the proposed…

As I understand the proposed Special Economic Zones Act, 2025 would allow the Provincial Government to discard existing regulations that specify how planned or proposed development projects might proceed. From what I have read, the intention is to boost Ontario’s economy by getting those projects up and running as quickly as possible. The following outlines the reasons I object to this legislation.

The difficulty I have with the proposed Special Economic Zones Act, 2025, is there are no details that outline how this would play out. From the Legislative debates over this Act, which is Schedule 9 of Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy act, 2025, the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, would be able to select any area, of any size deemed appropropriate anywhere in Ontario and call it a Special Economic Zone. The Minister can also decide what, if any, of current regulations or requirements need to be adhered to inside of this Special Economic Zone. And finally, not one person in Ontario, nor any group of persons, would be able to participate in discussion about the location of the Special Economic Zone, nor take any steps to protect any endangered species that might be found within that zone. Municipalities, which already designate industrial areas under Zoning By-laws will not be able to participate. First Nations would not have to be consulted, archaeological and environmental assessments would not have to be undertaken. And so on and so forth.

The other difficulty I have with this proposed legislation is that information as to how the goverrnment would ensure “fair play” are not spelled out in the proposed legislation. It seems the government wants to write the legislation – after the legislation has been enacted.

As I understand the proposed Special Economic Zones Act, 2025 would allow the Provincial Government to discard existing regulations that specify how planned or proposed development projects might proceed. From what I have read, the intention is to boost Ontario’s economy by getting those projects up and running as quickly as possible. The following outlines the reasons I object to this legislation.

The difficulty I have with the proposed Special Economic Zones Act, 2025, is there are no details that outline how this would play out. From the Legislative debates over this Act, which is Schedule 9 of Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy act, 2025, the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, would be able to select any area, of any size deemed appropriate anywhere in Ontario and call it a Special Economic Zone. The Minister can also decide what, if any, of current regulations or requirements need to be adhered to inside of this Special Economic Zone. And finally, not one person in Ontario, nor any group of persons, would be able to participate in discussion about the location of the Special Economic Zone, nor take any steps to protect any endangered species that might be found within that zone. Municipalities, which already designate industrial areas under Zoning By-laws will not be able to participate. First Nations would not have to be consulted, archaeological and environmental assessments would not have to be undertaken. And so on and so forth.

The other difficulty I have with this proposed legislation is that information as to how the government would ensure “fair play” are not spelled out in the proposed legislation. It seems the government wants to write the legislation – after the legislation has been enacted.

From my perspective, this appears to be the Government of Ontario taking the liberty of granting itself extraordinary powers.

As it stands, only governmental bodies in Ontario are required to undertake Environmental Assessments prior to beginning any kind of development work. The only exceptions to this legislation, enacted in 1976 – when Ontario was a progressive province (the federal government took about another ten years to come up with similar legislation), are electricity, waste management and large municipal infrastructure projects being built by private developers. All private development – including mining projects – are exempt from having to complete environmental assessments, unless they fall under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012.

It therefore strikes me that the government would grant itself the power to essentially give favours to developers and their proponents without any requirements to project current and future generations, without consulting First Nations, and without any repercussion for the decisions made. There is no accountability, and I find this specifically anti-democratic. This legislation prompts fears that the Ontario government is consolidating its power and becoming an authoritarian regime.