I understand that the…

I understand that the government of Ontario must take steps to manage the general economy, a housing crisis, the transportation needs of Ontarians and more, however it appears as though Bill 5 was written by/for Housing Developers and Extractive Industry Lobbyists with an outdated 19th century mindset. Ontarians want and deserve a balanced approach to dealing with today’s issues that maintains human rights and considers and values the life-giving properties of the natural world.

The fact is that everything we have comes from nature - The water we drink, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the buildings we live, work and play in, the medicine we cure our sick with, and so much more. But Earth is not a bottom-less pit of giving, it is a complex web of life that is on the verge of unravelling as humans continue to consume and destroy nature. Our relationship with Earth and the natural world must be nurtured. We need to live in harmony with nature, maintaining a reciprocal relationship the way we do with friends and family. We cannot continue to abuse Earth’s gifts without consequence! We can take only so much for so long before Earth has nothing left to give except the hardships that come with biodiversity loss and climate change – Which we are already starting to experience today.

This Ontario government must learn that the protection of species and their habitat, protects people. It ensures a healthy ecosystem that supports clean air, clean water, carbon sequestration, oxygen generation, pollination services, flood-resistance, erosion control, heat island mitigation and areas for human recreation. And finally, it provides a resilient biodiversity that can best weather the impacts of climate change. These benefits cannot just be swept aside for potential short-term financial gain, undermining the environment for future generations of Ontarians.

I understand that the Ontario government is positioning Bill 5 bill as being designed to cut red tape, accelerate approvals for major infrastructure and resource projects, and “unlocking” Ontario’s critical minerals, however, as per the experts at the Wildlife Conservation Society:
• Claims that the current Endangered Species Act causes “unnecessary delays and costs” overlook the many revisions already made over the years to “streamline” processes, the lack of any measurement of outcomes, and the inclusion of further changes in the new Act that have little to do with efficiency.
• The bill would allow Ontario to disregard species listings based on independent scientific assessments using internationally recognized criteria, opening the door to exclude species from protection when doing so is politically or economically expedient.
• The proposal to offload responsibility for migratory birds and aquatic species to the federal government is sidestepping the province’s role in shared stewardship… coordinated action is essential, given the province’s responsibility for land use, natural resource management, and permitting decisions that directly affect species in provincial waters and on provincial lands.

Sierra Club Canada agrees, stating that Bill 5 would do untold damage to ecosystems, endangered species, and future generations… with disturbing implications for clean energy and Indigenous rights.

The concerns are further echoed by Ecojustice Canada who notes that Bill 5 would define animal “habitat” to mean only the nest, den, or immediate area around it — not the forests, wetlands or feeding grounds they need to survive… this absurd view would virtually ensure continued species decline, extinction, or extirpation. They also note that mining could move forward in the fragile Ring of Fire without a full environmental assessment — violating promises made to First Nations and threatening vital peatlands that help fight climate change.

Ontario Nature sees Bill 5 as compounding a series of previous measures that the Ontario government has taken in recent years to dismantle protections for endangered species, including exemptions for the logging industry and “pay-to-slay” provisions.

Another important perspective from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association raises concerns that Bill 5 enables the executive branch of the government to unilaterally do away with legal safeguards that protect vulnerable communities and Indigenous people, paving the way for corporations to bypass labour and environmental laws. CUPE Ontario agrees and is concerned that Bill 5’s “special economic zones” would bring the worst US-style labour practices to Ontario where workers have no right to health and safety, a minimum wage, or employment protections, including the right to recourse when they are injured, fired or mistreated on the job.

Environmental Defence further notes that Bill 5 would give Premier Ford and his cabinet unprecedented power over our communities, including powers to dictate who is exempt from all provincial and municipal laws (including environmental, labour, public safety, heritage and even the Environmental Bill of Rights) and who is not. … it would be a direct attack on healthy communities, good planning, clean water and air, species at risk and the rights of Indigenous people—all to benefit a handful of the government’s hand-picked friends. Bill 5 (Schedule 6 – Amendments to the Ontario Energy Board Act) would also keep Ontario dependent on imported fracked gas from the U.S by banning Chinese components in energy projects - shutting the door on clean, affordable wind and solar energy and battery storage. I believe that until Ontario builds up its own renewable energy industry, we need to continue to grow solar, wind and heat-pump deployment in Ontario, any way we can – These are the most cost effective (and least climate polluting) technology that exists today, and preventing progress would make life more unaffordable for Ontarians.

Many other organizations have concerns that the Special Economic Zones Act would give Ontario the unrestricted ability to create regulation-free zones where it can exempt any business or project from any provincial or municipal law or by-law. This includes requirements related to any permits, processes and approvals. Current permitting processes ensure projects are reviewed by environmental experts and come with requirements to reduce harm. Under Bill 5, that process is replaced by an online registration form. Once a company clicks “submit,” they’re free to start building - No review, no obligation to consider safer alternatives. It’s a developer’s dream and an environmental nightmare.
Furthermore, Ontario Bill 5 would significantly amend the Ontario Heritage Act (“OHA”) to give itself the power to exempt a proponent from requirements related to the protection of archaeological sites, further trampling the rights of the province’s indigenous people.

In addition to the concerns described above, the proposed law also contains a series of ‘get out of jail free’ cards for the government, extinguishing a broad range of causes of action, and prohibiting anyone from bringing court proceedings about anything “directly or indirectly” related to “anything done or not done” under the law or its regulations.

Finally, the Toronto Environmental Alliance’s concerns that Bill 5 may threaten Toronto’s 15-year-old “green standard,” which limits the greenhouse gas emissions new buildings can emit and ensures homes are resilient to flash flooding and other consequences of climate change… Ontarians buying new homes would pay more for heating and cooling if Toronto loses its green standard and if other areas are prevented from developing their own municipal green development standards.

I am truly horrified at the prospects outlined above. I ask that the government of Ontario carefully listen to the appropriate experts, including indigenous leaders, in order to maintain or improve sound planning and environmental policy when it comes to protecting the province’s economic and energy independence. Simply listening to ignorant and shortsighted corporate wish-lists will not get us there!
Ontarians have not asked for weaker protections or less say in decisions that affect the province’s land, water and future. Bill 5 would silence community voices, marginalize science and erase decades of hard-won environmental progress. Watching the carnage south of the border, Ontarians understand, now more than ever, why it is necessary to uphold democratic values, the separation of powers and the rule of law. Bill 5 erodes all of these fundamental rights.

So, with that in mind, I urge the Ontario government to withdraw Bill 5, and its Trump-like authoritarian power grab, in its entirety and instead work with environmental experts, Indigenous leaders and the public to strengthen, not dismantle our systems of environmental protection.

Prior governments were capable of managing the economy successfully without destroying our live-giving natural world or removing our democratic rights. I am confident that today’s Ontario government can navigate current challenges if you embrace 21st century solutions that include high-density housing, convenient public transit, and a focus on shortening supply chains by promoting local small and medium size businesses. Plenty of job-creating opportunities exist with renewable power and the green energy transition – Let’s build an economy around the manufacturing, installation and servicing of solar and wind equipment, along with heat-pumps, heat-pumps, and more heat-pumps!

To be clear, protecting nature is not a barrier to economic growth. It’s the foundation of a healthy, resilient and just society. Ontarians care about democracy and the environment - They clearly demonstrated this by protesting the attempted development of the Greenbelt. Please don’t make the same mistake again.