In order to remain…

In order to remain sustainably competitive with longevity into the future, the province requires better long term, well structured and strong legislation in true matters of future stability, such as environmental health. As a resource-based economy (Randall & Ironside, 1996).
This bill proposes perhaps the most significant environmental regulation rollback In Ontario history: it certainly is in my lifetime. I have very rarely felt ashamed of being Canadian and was happy to return to my home of Canada after living abroad for a few years, and I wanted to stand for my Nation, because I believe we are progressive, strong, and just, but this Bill makes me questioning staying in Canada any longer. The effects of this bill threaten my willingness to start a family here. I want to be proud of my home and the decisions my democratic politicians make, but this will destroy our future: a future that belongs to my children, and my grandchildren, not the oligarch currently making decisions for my future.

My husband is a Doctor who is seeing more and more environmental disease prevalence everyday and myself as a Scientist, sees Ontario’s citizens as needing the right to a healthy environment including air, water and soil. We aren’t just hurting the environment, we are also hurting ourselves and our ability to lead a healthy life (Suzuki). The last time regulations were repealed like this, standards were cut and we were faced with the Walkerton tragedy (Salvadori et al., 2009). As ecosystems are more fragile now and we have put more urban stress on them with impervious surfaces, demands for potable water and electricity for our homes, the infrastructure deficit across many of our urban centers is on the verge of crumble and removing our standards that protect the health of every Ontarian cannot be weakened as Bill 66 proposes. We will face the wrath of much larger systemic and long-term issues which will cost the province inexorably more than we gain from any “claimed increased economic competitiveness” (WaterCanada, 2018). In a resource-based economy, there is no increased competitiveness without an increased natural capital. The cost of floods from filling in all our wetlands and destroying our forests is far greater than the GDP of the buildings that will sit on top of them and that’s on the tip of the iceberg.

We cannot fully comprehend the deleterious effects of this Bill, and in this age of undeniable climate change, do we really want to take that risk? Working WITH the environment is proven to increase GDP and wealth and therefore competitiveness of companies (Interface Inc.). If we want to be competitive, what we need is to be innovative. It’s time to invest in green infrastructure, sustainable buildings and carbon neutral energy production because that is the ONLY way forward. My children deserve the same rights to a healthy life full of opportunities as I had. Do not take this away from our future and do not pass Bill 66.