I’m writing to express my…

I’m writing to express my opposition to Bill 5, specifically to Schedules 2 and 10 proposing changes to and eventual repeal of the Endangered Species Act, 2007 and the creation of the Species Conservation Act, 2025.

The Ontario provincial government claims that these changes are needed to speed up necessary infrastructure projects and provide greater clarity. However, as multiple provincial and national environmental organizations have pointed out, this bill substantially weakens conservation efforts and
will harm not only endangered species but also the range of rich ecosystems within the province. These changes may also inadvertently negatively affect the people living in Ontario and future economic opportunities.

Bill 5 significantly weakens protection measures for endangered species by changing the definition of habitat. The Ontario government claims that in refining protections by redefining habitat, it is providing greater clarity and focusing efforts where they will have the most impact. This new proposed definition and framing of “habitat” fails to take into consideration the interconnected components within an ecosystem that allow species to live and thrive. Narrowing the scope leaves open other critical components to a species’ survival to be threatened, thus counteracting any “focused” efforts for species conservation that would take place. Just as people depend on more than then dwelling in which they live to be healthy and survive, conservation efforts need to also address the areas beyond where an animal nests or dens, where a plant sets its roots, etc. Altering the areas around a “habitat” under the new proposed definition may still put endangered species at risk, and put more species at risk of loss. The government’s claim that the current definition of “habitat” creates uncertainty goes against the evidence and best practices established by conservation experts.

This bill also punts provincial responsibility for conservation efforts under the guise of efficiency by removing duplicate efforts from the federal government. Removing the requirement for developing recovery strategies, management plans, response statements or reviews of species’ progress will make it more difficult to track species recovery. Given that there is an increasing threat of biodiversity loss in Ontario, in Canada, and in the world more broadly, the province should maintain its efforts on species recovery and work in concert with the federal government. Moreover, land use and natural resource management permitting are under the purview of the provincial government, and thus the provincial government should retain responsibility and efforts in species recovery.

On the whole, this bill is a significant step backwards in protecting the environment in Ontario that will likely have harm not only the endangered species and species at risk but also the people in this province. This bill treats the natural world and conservation as a nuisance and hindrance rather than as opportunities to grow and strengthen the province.