I understand the desire for…

I understand the desire for the Province to push for development and infrastructure projects. I support protecting Ontario and working together to build a stronger province. What I don't understand is why this has to be at the expense of an entire industry. I have worked in Ontario Heritage and Archaeology for 7 years. This is my livelihood and I am watching as colleagues are getting laid off. Our projects are paused and stalled while developers wait to hear about Bill 5. We contribute to the understanding of Ontarios history. We bring communities together. Once something is dug up there is no going back, that piece of our history is gone.

Yet the Ministry is grossly underfunded and understaffed. The issue for why archaeology takes so long doesn't rest in the work we do assessing sites. It rests in the failings of the bureaucratic process where our reports sit and wait for years to be reviewed. Where our licenses are expired and there isn't enough staff to review and renew them. This feels like the government has deliberately underfunded our Ministry to be able to justify getting rid of us.

How does costing hundreds of people their jobs help the economy? Why do some workers hold more value to Ontario than others? Archaeology companies like ASI, ARA, PHC and others are Ontario built and Ontario owned. For decades my industry has worked tirelessly for Ontario.

How do I afford my mortgage without a job? How can my employer keep me on without contracts? These are hundreds of people who will become dependent on unemployment and aid services, rather than being people who contribute and pay taxes towards advancing our province.

Don't fool yourselves. This will collapse several companies and hundreds of careers. Do better by your citizens, fix this Bill.