I am writing to oppose Bill…

I am writing to oppose Bill 5, particularly the provisions that would remove the requirement for archaeological assessments in certain development projects. These proposed changes pose serious risks to the protection of Indigenous cultural heritage and violate the Crown’s duty to consult Indigenous Peoples.

Archaeological assessments are a critical step in ensuring that development does not destroy Indigenous burial sites, sacred places, artifacts, or historical land use areas. By exempting certain projects or zones from these requirements, Bill 5 would create pathways for irreversible harm to Indigenous cultural landscapes — often without Indigenous knowledge or consent.

These proposed changes:

Ignore the significance of archaeological sites to Indigenous communities and their connections to land, identity, and history;

Violate the spirit of reconciliation by removing a key safeguard that ensures Indigenous voices are included in land-use decisions;

Undermine the provincial government’s responsibility to uphold the Honour of the Crown and its duty to consult, as established in Canadian law and under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP);

And risk erasing vital evidence of Indigenous presence and stewardship on the land, which is already under-documented and disproportionately impacted by development.

In the context of Truth and Reconciliation, these changes are a step backward. They weaken mechanisms that support transparency, respect, and dialogue between the Ontario government and Indigenous Nations.

I urge the Government of Ontario to:

Retain and strengthen archaeological assessment requirements in all development projects;

Reject the proposed exemptions outlined in Bill 5 that would allow projects to bypass this important process;

And engage in meaningful consultation with Indigenous communities on any legislation that could impact their lands, rights, or cultural heritage.

Respecting Indigenous rights and safeguarding cultural heritage should not be seen as a barrier to development — they are essential to building a just, sustainable, and responsible future for all Ontarians.