Bill 5 and Bill 17: What Ontario’s New Legislation Could Mean for Species, Land, and Local Power
The Ontario government is moving quickly to pass two new bills — Bill 5 and Bill 17 — that could significantly weaken the province’s environmental protections, local governance, and accountability processes.
While both are being framed as pro-growth tools for speeding up development, what’s proposed goes far beyond cutting red tape.
What Bill 5 Proposes
Officially titled the Protecting Ontario by Enabling Economic Growth Act, Bill 5 introduces several sweeping changes that environmental and Indigenous leaders say could have long-term consequences. It would:
Enable the creation of Special Economic Zones anywhere in Ontario, giving Cabinet the ability to override existing laws, including environmental and land use regulations.
Replace the Endangered Species Act, eliminating current recovery goals and drastically reducing protections for species at risk.
Narrow the legal definition of “habitat,” making it easier for development to proceed in ecologically sensitive areas.
Introduce a permitless registration system, allowing habitat destruction with little more than an online form.
Ignore treaty obligations, drawing strong objections from Indigenous leaders and communities.
During public hearings, lawyers, scientists, and conservationists warned that the bill could cause “irrevocable harm to species and ecosystems across Ontario.” As Dr. Morgan Piczak put it, the new definition of habitat is like “protecting someone’s bedroom, but not their kitchen or the hallway between them.”
Why It Matters
The Ford government has pitched Bill 5 as a way to accelerate mining in Ontario’s north, particularly in the Ring of Fire. But critics argue this is part of a broader pattern: weakening checks and balances to fast-track development — whether it’s highways, mines, or housing — without sufficient environmental review or community input.
Projects like Highway 413, long opposed by municipalities, Indigenous Nations, and environmental groups, could move forward more easily under this legislation.
And Then There’s Bill 17
Bill 17 takes things further by giving Ministers the power to override local land use decisions and restrict municipalities from enforcing green building standards or requiring affordable housing in new developments.
Together, these two bills:
Concentrate decision-making at the provincial level
Undermine Indigenous governance and local democracy
Open the door to sprawling, high-emissions development
Remove crucial environmental oversight and public accountability
What Happens Next
If passed, Bills 5 and 17 would shift the balance of power away from communities and toward unchecked provincial control. Critics say it's a step backward — and one that threatens the long-term health of Ontario’s environment, economy, and democracy.
You can read more about Highway 413 and Bill 5 here, or explore how climate and health are connected in Eastern Ontario.
To take action, contact your local MPP
