As a biologist, I vehemently…

As a biologist, I vehemently oppose Bill 5, the “Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act.” This legislation clearly seeks to undermine, not only our ability to protect natural spaces, but also our democratic norms and our ability to honour treaty agreements with Indigenous peoples.

Replacing the Endangered Species Act with vague goals and unenforceable measures will accelerate habitat destruction and species declines. The proposed creation of “special economic zones” would still further erode any kind of protection for species and environments at risk. Ontario’s environmental protections have far too few teeth as it is and Bill 5 will only further embolden developers to flout any environmental law left on the books.

The climate crisis in which we find ourselves creates greater urgency than ever for understanding and protecting natural systems. As a scientist I know firsthand that the world is changing far more rapidly than we can keep up with it. As such, questions on policy of any kind need input from as many informed parties as possible whether they be scientists, Indigenous leaders, or local stakeholders. The short-sightedness of Bill 5 is difficult to overstate. Short-term gain which will very soon be dwarfed by the costs of dealing with climate change impacts. Bill 5 is not only undemocratic, it is downright irresponsible.

In the recent federal election, the Liberal candidates bested Conservative ones in Ontario by a margin of 5.2 percentage points in the popular vote. There seems to be little doubt that this was partly a refutation of the kind of populism that both Donald Trump and Pierre Poilievre represent. Bill 5 is an autocratic, Trump-style piece of legislation and its passage into law would deal a serious blow to democracy in Ontario.

I urge the Ontario government to withdraw Bill 5 in its entirety and instead work with environmental experts, Indigenous leaders and the public to strengthen — not dismantle — our systems of environmental protection.

Protecting nature has not been a barrier to economic growth.