The Canadian Wildlife…

The Canadian Wildlife Federation is calling on the Ontario Government to stop Bill 5, strengthen your commitment to science-based conservation and improve rather than hinder the state of biodiversity in the province. This is not just about wildlife – it is about protecting the ecosystems that support clean water, climate resilience, and quality of life for all Ontarians.

The Ontario Government should not be using Bill 5 to bypass longstanding environmental legislation to push through a local development project such as the York1 waste project. Like all other projects of this nature, the York 1 project must be subject to a proper and full environmental assessment to determine the impacts prior to moving forward with such a proposal. The other regulatory instruments the proposal suggests (Environmental Compliance Approvals, Environmental Protection Act, Ontario Water Resources Act) are not the appropriate tools for determining the environmental impact of destroying 25 hectares of habitat. This project must remain subject to the Environmental Assessment Act and the associated consultation process.

The world is in the midst of a global biodiversity crisis. Canada’s Nature Strategy outlines steps to make progress on the 23 targets outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Through this proposal, Ontario is not only neglecting these targets, rather going entirely in the opposite direction.
On behalf of Ontario’s wildlife, we strongly oppose Bill 5 and all the proposed changes within it.