I strongly oppose Bill 5…

I strongly oppose Bill 5. This bill is a direct attack on Ontario’s environment, wildlife, and democracy. It hands power to developers and corporations while silencing the people who actually live here.

Bill 5 guts the Endangered Species Act and replaces it with a weak version that lets industry decide which species and habitats matter. That is unacceptable. No one who profits from destroying land should have any say in what gets protected.

It also opens the door for massive projects to skip proper environmental reviews and public consultation. That means more pollution, more destroyed habitats, and more communities left with toxic messes they didn’t ask for.

This bill tramples Indigenous rights by fast-tracking development without full consultation. Real reconciliation means listening, not bulldozing ahead.

The government is trying to sell this as “cutting red tape.” But red tape is what stops greed from poisoning our water, paving over wetlands, and wiping out endangered species.

Bill 5 puts profit before people, and short-term gain before the health and future of Ontario. Once you destroy a forest, a wetland, or a watershed, it’s gone.

Withdraw this bill now. Restore strong environmental laws. Put local voices, science, and Indigenous leadership back at the center of decision-making. Ontario belongs to all of us, not a handful of developers.

Christina Doherty
Elora, Ontario