I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed repeal of Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007 and its replacement with the significantly weakened Species Conservation Act, 2025 under Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act.

This legislation threatens the ecological integrity of Ontario. It puts short-term industrial development ahead of long-term public good, biodiversity, and environmental resilience. As a resident of Ontario and a member of a community that values the health of our lands, waters, and wildlife, I am deeply concerned about the consequences of dismantling science-based species protections.

Ontario’s Endangered Species Act was once considered a gold standard across Canada, rooted in independent science, transparency, and the automatic legal listing of at-risk species. Replacing this with a system that grants the Environment Minister discretionary power to list—or ignore—species recommendations removes the scientific foundation of conservation policy. This shift politicizes decisions that must remain evidence-based.

Equally alarming is the redefinition of habitat to narrowly focus on physical nesting or denning sites. This erases protection for the broader ecosystems species depend on to feed, migrate, and survive. It’s an irresponsible and ecologically flawed change that ignores decades of conservation knowledge.

The move toward a self-registration system for development activities—with no permitting, no public oversight, and no mandatory recovery strategies—effectively eliminates one of the last checks on unchecked habitat destruction. Conservation should not be an optional checkbox. It must be a core priority.

The government’s justification—that the existing Act causes delays and cost—is a distraction. Economic development and environmental stewardship are not mutually exclusive. In fact, Ontario’s own accounting has valued its ecosystem services at over $120 billion annually. Weakening these protections risks long-term damage not just to wildlife, but to our communities, food systems, water quality, and climate resilience.

Moreover, offloading responsibility for certain species to the federal government is a dereliction of provincial duty. Federal laws only apply on a small fraction of Ontario’s lands. The province must uphold its responsibilities, not sidestep them.

I urge the Government of Ontario to:

-Halt the repeal of the Endangered Species Act

-Strengthen science-based protections and habitat recovery plans

-Reject the Special Economic Zones that override public and Indigenous oversight

-Commit to meaningful consultation with Indigenous communities and the public

This legislation is not in the public interest. It undermines environmental accountability, marginalizes community voices, and endangers future generations. Please protect Ontario’s natural heritage and the species that depend on it.