Bill 5 has disturbing implications for the protection of nature and effectively muzzles dissent, community voices
NORTH BAY – In a series of targeted amendments, Ontario’s recently introduced Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025 will speed up the destruction of critical habitat for endangered species and remove basic environmental rights, including rights to be informed and have a say.
Legal Advocates for Natures’ Defence (LAND) strongly opposes the Bill, which contains no affirmation to protect Indigenous rights, including minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of Indigenous peoples, as set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). While statements from the province praise the Bill for ‘advancing the next chapter of reconciliation in Ontario,’ no such legal commitment is contained in the text.
LAND also denounces the province’s move to designate “special economic zones” where entire regions—such as those in and around the proposed Ring of Fire mining development—could be exempt from provincial laws and environmental safeguards.
“Too often, economic gain is pitted against environmental protection,” remarked LAND Founder and Legal Counsel, Kerrie Blaise, “Bill 5 is another attempt to evict Indigenous rights and nature from law. To safeguard the immense climate and cultural value the North holds for our health and well-being, we must stop prioritizing the rights of private, industrial uses over respect for communities’ rights, including Indigenous law and sovereignty.”
If passed, Bill 5 would:
- Terminate the environmental assessment for the Eagle’s Nest mine – a proposed mining project in Treaty 9 lands, part of the proposed Ring of Fire
- Create no-go zones for provincial laws and standards, allowing mining proponents operating within designated “special economic zones” to be exempt from the requirements of other Acts or regulations
- Repeal the Endangered Species Act, replacing it with the Species Conservation Act that relies on voluntary initiatives and discretionary, not mandatory, species protection
- Eliminate requirements to create recovery strategies for at-risk species, making it nearly impossible to track and mitigate threats to their survival
- Narrow scrutiny by the courts and government accountability by restricting potential causes of actions against the Crown
LAND is calling for the full withdrawal of Bill 5 and urges members of the public, Northern communities and Indigenous peoples to speak out against these regressive reforms. Comments are being accepted via the Environmental Registry of Ontario until May 17.
ABOUT LAND: Legal Advocates for Nature’s Defence is an environmental law non-profit based in Northern Ontario dedicated to advancing access to justice, to protect nature and Indigenous rights.
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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Kerrie Blaise
Founder and Legal Counsel
kerrie@naturesdefence.ca
705-978-4034