I strongly oppose the…

I strongly oppose the proposed Species Conservation Act, 2025 (Bill 5). These amendments would dismantle the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and replace it with a framework that prioritizes short-term economic interests over long-term ecological health.

Ontario’s biodiversity is one of our province’s greatest assets. It supports tourism, sustains local economies, and contributes to clean water, clean air, and climate resilience. Once ecosystems and species are lost, they cannot easily—or ever—be restored. Weakening environmental protections now will have irreversible consequences for future generations.

Creating “special economic zones” that exempt developers and resource companies from provincial regulations would open the door to unchecked habitat destruction. This proposal compounds a series of previous measures that have already eroded species protections, such as exemptions for the logging industry and the “pay-to-slay” provisions.

I am also deeply concerned that these changes risk violating Indigenous rights if they proceed without free, prior, and informed consent. Indigenous Peoples must be at the center of all discussions about sustainable economies and species protection, not sidelined by deregulation.

I urge the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to withdraw these proposed amendments and instead strengthen Ontario’s commitment to protecting biodiversity, supporting sustainable industries, and respecting Indigenous leadership in conservation.