Concern Over EROs and the…

Concern Over EROs and the Special Economic Zones Act, 2025 – Please Listen to the People

I have lived my entire life in Southwestern Ontario. I’ve raised my family here. I love this province and the small rural community I call home. But today, I feel deeply worried and disheartened.

The proposals released by the Ontario government on April 17, 2025, including the one tied to the Special Economic Zones Act, 2025—which supports Bill 5—have left many of us questioning the direction of our province and our democracy.

This isn’t just a policy change. It feels like a turning point, and not in a good way.

I’m concerned not just for my community, but for my rights as a Canadian citizen.

We live in a country that we proudly call “the land of the free.”
But how can we call it that when:

EROs and legislative proposals are pushed forward without full public transparency or proper environmental assessments?
Local municipalities are being stripped of their decision-making powers?
Long-standing protections for our health, land, water, and democracy are being weakened in the name of speed and “economic development”?
Yes, we need growth. We need sustainable policies.
And yes, we must reduce reliance on foreign systems, including the United States. But we must do so without sacrificing what makes Ontario, and Canada, worth living in: our freedoms, our environment, and our rights as citizens.

If passed, this direction—through Bill 5 and the associated Special Economic Zones—could fundamentally erode constitutional and human rights, including our right to a safe, clean, and healthy environment.

I urge you—Premier Ford, and our elected representatives—to remember who you serve.
Government is not a corporation. It is a responsibility.
And that responsibility begins with listening to the people.

We do not consent to having our voices ignored.
We do not accept environmental shortcuts or policy overhauls that bypass democracy.
We will not stand by while our rights and our communities are jeopardized.

Respectfully,
A lifelong Ontario resident and proud Canadian