Ontario’s Bill 5 is a Threat to Species and the Environment

GBA is seriously concerned about the effect of Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025, a sweeping omnibus bill aimed at opening mining opportunities in Ontario’s Ring of Fire. This bill will make massive changes to the requirements for protecting endangered species and archaeological sites in the province. Bill 5 empowers the Ontario government to designate “special economic zones” which are exempted from provincial laws and municipal by-laws to expedite development.

What’s at stake?

If passed, this legislation will:

  • Repeal the provincial Endangered Species Act and replace it with the much weaker Species Conservation Act, 2025
  • Allow development to begin immediately after online registration rather than after environmental review
  • Transfer responsibility for listing protected species to the cabinet, rather than the expert Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario, and eliminate requirements for Ontario to review recovery and stewardship for protected species
  • Alter the Ontario Heritage Act to allow cabinet to exempt development projects from archaeological assessments, which play a role in preserving Indigenous history and culture

These changes would allow the government to prioritize development over environmental protection and local decision-making, putting our most vulnerable species and ecosystems at risk.


What You Can Do

  • Submit Your Comment: the bill is open for public comment until May 17. Tell the government that Ontario’s species, water, and future deserve better.
  • Send an email to your MPP: using our DoGooder site, you can send an email to your MPP asking them to stop Bill 5. It only takes a few mintes to send the email and sharing your unique perspective and experiences will make a significant impact! Send an email here.