The Ontario government’s…

The Ontario government’s proposed Bill 5—Protecting Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025—is a sweeping piece of legislation with dangerous implications for our environment, our farmlands, and our democratic rights. Despite its optimistic title, Bill 5 unleashes irreversible harm under the guise of economic growth, fast-tracking development at the expense of ecosystems, water resources, and Indigenous rights.

One of the most alarming aspects of Bill 5 is its dismantling of the Endangered Species Act, 2007. In its place, the government proposes the Species Conservation Act, 2025—a misnomer, as it guts critical protections for Ontario’s most vulnerable plants and animals. Under this new law, scientific assessments can be ignored by Cabinet, habitat protections become optional, and the recovery of species is subordinated to economic interests. In a province already seeing steep declines in biodiversity, this is not progress—it’s ecological negligence.

The bill’s implications extend far beyond wildlife. Ontario’s farmland—among the most fertile in Canada—is also on the chopping block. Bill 5 paves the way for accelerated development and extractive industries in so-called “Special Economic Zones,” which can override local planning and zoning. This threatens prime agricultural land, undermines local food security, and disrupts the critical ecosystem services farmland provides—like filtering water, capturing carbon, and preserving habitat corridors.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in rural communities like Ramara Township. Here, vast stretches of farmland lie atop highly vulnerable aquifers that supply drinking water to thousands. Bill 5 removes environmental assessment requirements for major projects, opening the door to water contamination, nutrient runoff, and the disruption of delicate hydrological systems. Without oversight, our wells, rivers, and Lake Simcoe’s watershed are at risk.

Equally troubling is the government’s disregard for Indigenous rights. Bill 5 ignores the obligation to obtain free, prior, and informed consent from Indigenous communities—a standard enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. By centralizing decision-making in Cabinet and introducing sweeping exemptions for development, the bill disrespects Indigenous jurisdiction, cultural heritage, and treaty responsibilities. Changes to the Ontario Heritage Act further erode protections for sacred and archaeological sites, clearing the way for irreversible damage.

Bill 5 doesn’t just threaten the environment—it undermines democracy. It strips communities, municipalities, and Indigenous Nations of their voices in land-use decisions that will shape Ontario for generations.

1. Loss of Protection for Endangered Species and Ecosystems
Bill 5 repeals the Endangered Species Act, 2007 and replaces it with the Species Conservation Act, 2025, which significantly weakens protections for Ontario’s most vulnerable species. The new legislation:
- Makes species listing discretionary, allowing Cabinet to ignore scientific recommendations from COSSARO.
- Removes automatic habitat protections and recovery strategies.
- Shifts the purpose of species protection to accommodate economic growth rather than ecological integrity.
These changes will directly threaten biodiversity across Ontario—including in rural and agricultural areas where farmland and natural ecosystems intersect.
2. Threats to Farmland and the Ecosystem Services It Provides
Preserving farmland is not only essential for food security and rural livelihoods, but also for maintaining the ecological functions of soil, water, and biodiversity. Bill 5 undermines farmland protection by:
- Prioritizing rapid development, mining, and infrastructure in "Special Economic Zones," which could override municipal zoning bylaws, including those designed to protect prime agricultural lands.
- Removing environmental assessment requirements for certain large-scale projects, increasing the risk of land degradation, water contamination, and habitat fragmentation near or on farmland.
- Narrowing the definition of “habitat” and reducing oversight, putting farmland-adjacent ecosystems—such as hedgerows, wetlands, and riparian zones—at risk.
Ontario’s farmland plays a critical role in water filtration, carbon sequestration, and species habitat. Weakening protections disconnects farming from the essential ecosystems it supports and relies on.
3. Risks to Water Resources and Aquifers
Bill 5 facilitates the fast-tracking of projects near sensitive areas without requiring proper environmental assessments. This is of great concern in regions like Ramara Township, where agricultural lands lie atop highly vulnerable aquifers. Without proper protections, the risk of nutrient runoff, groundwater contamination, and altered hydrology increases—compromising drinking water and the health of Lake Simcoe and surrounding tributaries.
4. Violation of Indigenous Rights
Bill 5 offers no guarantees for free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) from Indigenous communities, as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. By concentrating decision-making authority in Cabinet and enabling broad regulatory exemptions under the Special Economic Zones Act, the legislation undermines Indigenous jurisdiction, cultural heritage, and treaty obligations.
Further, amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act weaken archaeological protections, allowing development to proceed without adequate investigation of sacred or culturally significant sites.
Conclusion and Request
We urge the Government of Ontario to repeal Bill 5 in its entirety and commit to:
- Upholding science-based protections for endangered species and their habitats.
- Protecting farmland as a vital ecological and economic resource.
- Safeguarding our water systems through robust, transparent environmental assessment.
- Respecting Indigenous rights to free, prior, and informed consent in all land-use decisions.
The future of Ontario’s environmental health, food systems, and democratic planning processes depend on rejecting this regressive legislation.
Respectfully submitted,
Concerned Citizens of Ramara