Photo (above) Credit: Red Fox Kits, by Caledon photographer Marilyn Matis
Press Release from ecoCaledon: May 26th, 2025
Bill 5 and Bill 17’s Impact on Caledon and Ontario
On May 13 The Town of Caledon Planning Committee passed a motion to ask the Ontario Government to stop Bill 5 based on the Town’s analysis that it would significantly take away Caledon’s and other Ontario municipalities’ ability to meet the needs of its citizens. For example, Bill 5 includes provisions for the declaration of “Special Economic Zones” (SEZs) that give the province the right to override Official Plans and local Bylaws. It would take away local input on what is good for local communities. The Town staff also say this Bill 5 could override protections for the Greenbelt not to mention eliminating the Endangered Species Act. Two delegations to the May 13 Town of Caledon Planning meeting spoke about local impacts of Bill 5.
ecoCaledon (Betty de Groot and John MacRae) spoke about the impact on Endangered Species, and loss of local input to development. The Forks of the Credit Preservation group (Debra Wilson) spoke about how Caledon’s new Aggregate policy could be overridden.
Ontario’s proposed Bill 5 “would end Endangered Species protection and attack clean energy,” effectively overriding local protections in communities across Ontario including Caledon.
Ontario’s Bill 5 threatens endangered plants and animals by taking away many basic protections that support sustainable development. The bill will threaten the long-term natural environment of Ontario and of local communities such as our beautiful Caledon. This will be especially destructive in Caledon as our population and infrastructure grow rapidly by 2030 and beyond. The Town’s Official Plan that protects plants and animals will not be enforceable, leaving many unprotected: it will be devastating.
Bill 5 repeals Ontario’s Endangered Species Act (2007) and thereby takes away important protections and safeguards. For example, it would threaten animals by eliminating their required natural habitat and surroundings, denying them a lack of natural territory for survival. Imagine a fox who comes out of his den to discover a construction site and the loss of his territory. Many animals will face similar insurmountable losses.
Phil Pothen, Environment Defence’s Ontario Program Manager, characterizes the threat of Bill 5 as follows:
• “Bill 5 would repeal Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, marking the end of most meaningful provincial protections for endangered, threatened and special concern species in Ontario. The idea that this wholesale slaughter of endangered plants and animals might help ‘protect Ontario’ or ‘unleash’ the economy is farcical.”
• the bill takes away Indigenous involvement by ending archeological assessments that consider indigenous and other cultural values
• it establishes special economic zones (SEZ) where Ontario and municipal laws do not apply
Laura Bowman from Ecojustice Canada speaking about Bill 5 to CBC News April 22* says:
• “The bill is about ‘scapegoating of environmental protection’ in the name of economic progress. She said the bill would allow the Province to issue a developer’s permit even if a project will cause severe decline to a species or result in the extinction of a species.
• “This won’t speed up projects. It will be catastrophic for wildlife. What we’re headed toward, if this bill goes ahead, is really just abandoning species protection.”
In The Pointer* (April 28, 2025), Margaret Prophet, from the Simcoe County Greenbelt
Coalition, described the “special zones” as areas where clean water protections, endangered species, local bylaws- even indigenous treaty rights – “could simply vanish.”
A number of GTA environmental groups including ecoCaledon are working together to let the Ontario Provincial Government know what is at risk. There are many petitions and protests where you can let the government know how you feel.
How to get involved: Read the Bill at the ‘Legislative Assembly’ website. As Bill 5 is being fast-tracked, already first and second readings have passed and the comment area of the Environmental Registry of
Ontario closed on May 17th. Still, until May 26th, at 6 pm, you can register comments with the Standard Committee of the Interior, at this website: https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/committees/interior/parliament-44/notice-hearings/2025-may-26-notice-hearings-standing-committee-interior
Learn more about the impacts of the Bill, and sign a petition on the Ontario Nature website. Consider signing the Legal Advocates for Nature’s Defence’ petition. Learn about a growing number of actions being posted at this Environmental Defence website (Stop Bill 5), and sign their petition.
Bill 17
And in case Bill 5’s assaults on sustainability aren’t dire enough, the Ontario Government is also fasttracking Bill 17: the “Protect Ontario by Building Smarter and Faster” Act was introduced late last week by the Province. This act provides for the elimination of many processes that allow municipalities to have input. For example, Bill 17 takes away municipalities’ Green Development Standards (GDS). Many municipalities including Caledon and Mississauga have GDS that encourage developers and builders to incorporate features such as net zero heating options, the capacity to manage runoff, and roughed in wiring to connect to electric car chargers. Including these features can be done in tandem with building other aspects of the home thus taking no longer, but go a distance towards offering sustainable homes, with money and energy savings built-in. To comment on this Bill, go to this ERO page, before June 12, 2025.
It’s time to protect Endangered Species, protect our municipalities’ legal rights and protect our future, in Caledon and across Ontario
Lucrezia Chiapetta, John MacRae, and Betty de Groot
ecoCaledon
*Sources:
Environmental Defense website; their petition.
Ontario Nature website; their petition.
Laura Bowman, EcoJustice on CBC website April 22, 2025
Anushka Yadav, “Doug Ford’s Bill 5 will lead to environmental slaughterfest,” The Pointer
Related articles on JSC:
May 20: Caledon Environmental Activist Explains the Dangers of Ontario Bill 5
May 7: Environmental Groups fear Ontario Bill 5 would Threaten Caledon’s Natural Environment
Thank you Eco-Caledon! Bill Five, is much more dangerous than Bill Three, The Strong Mayors Act, responsible for moving us from democracy to autocracy in Caledon. The Ford government has named Bill Five: “Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act.” It would be more appropriately titled: “Pave, Pollute and Purloin Our Ontario Paradise by Unleashing the Dogs of Greed.” This act gives those “strong powers” to a majority government that makes decisions for the entire province. This act will affect ecosystem integrity, community health, social justice, and economic security if the checks and balances that protect us are ignored. Remember who tried to take our Greenbelt? Don’t let them take our legacy.