I oppose Bill 5. Removing…

I oppose Bill 5. Removing the Endangered Species Act in favour of fast-tracking developments is severly detrimental to our future. We need to strengthen protections for species at risk, not weaken them. The habitat of animals includes so much more than just the den or nest they dwell in. They need space to hunt, source food, to roam, to find mates, to play. Imagine someone telling you, all you need is your house, and then they destroy everything else around it. You have no more access to grocery stores or to see people outside of your house. The process of environmental assessments takes time for good reason. It needs to be thorough and accurate to be effective. Environmental assessments, conservation and environmental protection procedures are not something to rush through just so Ontario can develop. The current definitions and procedures are not too rigid, they are critical. There are real and severe consequences to destroying our natural environment and biodiversity. We are not separate from nature. This impacts all of us. We must protect the natural environment and species at risk at all costs.