Under the guise of responding to Trump tariffs and threats of economic force against Canada, Ontario has introduced new legislation that if passed would gut protections for vulnerable wildlife, fast track mining and development projects, trample Indigenous rights, silence local voices and create law less zones for trusted proponents and areas designated by cabinet.
“The province is giving itself Trump-like powers to get rid of laws it sees as getting in the way of mines, highways and who knows what else?” says Jan Sumner, Wildlands League’s Executive Director. “And the open hostility it has towards Ontario’s natural heritage, its precious plants, fish, birds and mammals is out of control,” Sumner said.
Ontario has tabled Bill 5, the “Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act”. It says its intention is to, “streamline approval processes while maintaining robust environmental standards… unleash the economic potential of its critical minerals to make the province’s economy the most competitive place in the G7 to invest, create jobs and do business”.
Bill 5 has little to do with Trump tariffs and everything to do with recklessly and irresponsibly clearing the legislative and regulatory paths for development in the province. It’s also the culmination of years of attacks on threatened wildlife, our natural world and treating the environment and public consultation as red tape.
Among the actions the province is proposing, it will:
- repeal the Endangered Species Act
- gut requirements for environmental assessments for Wyloo’s Eagles Nest mine and York1’s proposed Dresden Dump, and remove consultation requirements from the environmental registry for projects associated with the Ontario Place redevelopment, and
- create new “special economic zones” where cabinet would exempt ‘trusted’ proponents and designated areas from laws and regulations including municipal oversight
The creation of new special economic zones is egregious and Trump-ish. Vaguely defined, it appears any proponent – friend of the government – or anywhere in the province could be selected.
The province is already telegraphing the Ring of Fire might qualify. What would this mean in practice? There isn’t even a mining project defined here with a feasibility study. Are mining companies going to be allowed to construct a mine without undergoing an environmental assessment? Ontario is the only jurisdiction in Canada that does not require mine projects to undergo an environmental assessment. We know self reporting and self monitoring by companies is deeply flawed. Is Ontario going to allow mines to operate without any oversight? What about water quality? What about mineral exploration permits? Will these be gone? What about health and safety laws? And labour laws? Now that Ontario is dispensing with the Endangered Species Act are these next?
Disappointingly, mining companies have already lined up to support Bill 5, actively supporting deregulation. How can they expect the public to believe claims that they are green, transparent, inclusive, accountable? That they’ll respect the Free, Prior and Informed Consent of Indigenous Peoples?
Indigenous People have seen this show before. From the building of Canada to the rush for critical minerals to the Trump tariffs threat it seems some of our leaders always have an excuse to trample rights, to sacrifice the environment and to silence local voices.
A majority doesn’t give Premier Ford the right to turn Ontario into a scorched earth sacrifice zone. We must register our dissent. We must stand up for wildlife and for each other.
The Premier is proposing to take us down a dangerous deregulation path. As Trump threatens us; Ford’s response is to grab Trump like powers. Say no to Bill 5.
Make sure your MPP knows what you think.
For the planet and all of us. Thank you. These are hard days.
Anna Baggio
Conservation Director
P.S. here’s more on why the proposed new Species Conservation Act, 2025 will fail to protect and recover species at risk. The new law: Read More
And so much more. Read here, here and here for more information.
P.P.S. I like this blog here explaining why speeding up mining won’t solve tariff problem.
