Latest news with #ProtectOntariobyUnleashingourEconomyAct
Hamilton Spectator
31-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Ontario Green Party leader drumming up support for foodbelt bill over the summer
The summer BBQ circuit finds Guelph MPP and Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner out drumming up support for a bill that would protect farmland. Schreiner and MPP Bobbi Ann Brady, the independent MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk, introduced a private member's bill at Queen's Park in May. The bill looks to establish a committee led by members of the industry to develop a 'foodbelt' to protect farmland in Ontario. The committee would consist of farmers, farm organizations, and experts in soil, land planning and agriculture. Schreiner told The Observer that the 319 acres of farmland that are lost in the province every day were a major 'motivation behind this bill.' 'That's the equivalent of nine family farms every week. When we think of the threats to our economy and our sovereignty currently, I think it's just essential to protect the land that feeds us in terms of maintaining our food sovereignty and security – the land that is the foundation of the $50-billion food and farming economy that employs over 875,000 people in Ontario, which is the largest employer in the province.' While Ontario is large, covering more than 892,000 square kilometres, just five per cent of it is usable farmland, and only 0.1 per cent is prime farmland, he noted. 'I think it's just essential that we have a plan to protect it, especially because the rate of farmland loss is been going up so rapidly in recent years.' This bill comes on the heels of the controversial Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act (Bill 5), which gave Premier Doug Ford and his cabinet members the ability to assign special economic zones. This would essentially allow developers and their organization on this site the ability to bypass other provincial and municipal rules. Though Schreiner said that he and Brady have been working on this type of farm protection well before the controversial Bill 5, the introduction of the bill, 'accelerated our desire to get this bill introduced and through first reading.' 'I think farmland protection needs to be a part of the conversation around Bill five, because there's nothing in Bill 5 that would prevent the premier's cabinet from declaring substantial acreage of farmland a special economic zone,' added Schreiner. Since its initial proposal, the bill has received support from all parties and all different parts of the political spectrum, he said He has also spoken to Minister of Agriculture Trevor Jones and Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as well. 'I've had certain members of the Conservative caucus reach out to me, especially those who represent ridings where farming is a big part of the local economy.' With the legislature on summer break, Schreiner will be travelling around Ontario talking about this bill and other issues. He has met many people who have expressed support for this new bill and also seen support from environmental groups and the province's agriculture organizations. All of this support and discourse about the Protect Our Food Act might come from the fact that this bill touches on many different political perspectives all at once. Schreiner noted that it specifically comes from three different perspectives. The first of those is the economy, which he notes is the agri-food sector, the largest employer in the province. 'I think people recognize the economic implications,' added Schreiner. The second perspective is environmental, and it plays a very important role in protecting the environment. The third important perspective that the bill follows is social justice and food sovereignty. 'There are issues around food security and hunger, social justice, where people are saying, 'We want people in Ontario to be able to have access to local food,'' noted Schreiner. 'Ontario's 49,000 plus farmers produce over 200 different crops and livestock, which is one of the most diverse availabilities of food anywhere in the world.' Given the major weather incidents and conflicts around the globe, protecting the places that produce food is particularly important just now, he stressed. 'That has real economic and financial implications for people's lives and their ability to be able to afford to feed themselves and their families. So protecting agricultural land in Ontario ensures that we have secure access to affordable, healthy, local food,' he added. 'I think it is critically important because it touches a lot of people's lives in different ways. And I think that's one of the reasons you've seen support for the bill.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Hundreds rally to ‘kill Bill 5' at Hamilton City Hall
Concerned residents rallied in the forecourt of Hamilton's city hall Wednesday afternoon to 'kill' the provincial government's controversial Bill 5. Organizers estimated more than 200 people rallied at Hamilton's city hall to protest the controversial Bill 5. The rally, hosted by Hamilton 350, was attended by local Opposition members of provincial Parliament, NDP leader Marit Stiles, Green Party leader Mike Schreiner and Coun. Craig Cassar — as well as Indigenous, labour, housing and environmental advocates. Organizers estimated more than 200 people joined the protest. It also followed a pitch to Hamilton council earlier in the day to support a bill to create an 'Ontario Foodbelt' aimed at protecting scarce agricultural land. Organizer Lucia Iannantuono said the rally was important because although opposition to the bill is 'broad and deep,' there had been no visible opposition to it in the city. 'This is where we make our voices across the movement known,' she said, adding they are urging the government to repeal the bill — because if it is used, 'we will protest.' The rally featured interruptions from unhoused people and supporters — which drew support from the crowd — as a city bylaw enforcement operation sought to remove an encampment from city hall grounds. Residents rally at city hall against controversial legislation meant to speed up major infrastructure projects in Ontario. The contentious Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act is meant to cut red tape, speed up critical natural resources development and help protect jobs, according to the Tory government. However, environmental, Indigenous and civil liberties advocates have raised myriad concerns about the bill, including a proposal to designate 'special economic zones' where fast-tracked major developments can be effectively exempted from other laws. In Hamilton, environmental advocates have said the bill would 'gut' endangered species protections in the name of spurring development and could potentially undermine the city's new biodiversity strategy meant to stop species loss. Speaking at the rally, Schreiner called the bill the 'most extraordinary and unprecedented power grab' in Ontario history. The Guelph MPP told the crowd repealing the law is going to take 'people power,' much like the fight that reversed the Doug Ford government's plan to remove 7,400 acres from the Greenbelt . Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner speaks at Hamilton's city hall. Earlier Wednesday, Schreiner and Haldimand-Norfolk Independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady appeared before Hamilton councillors to seek support for their private member's bill that seeks to create an Ontario 'Foodbelt.' Like the Greenbelt, but for farmland, the proposed legislation would assemble a task force of farmers, experts and land-use planners to recommend agricultural areas for permanent protection from development. The committee passed a motion by Flamborough councillor Ted McMeekin to support the Foodbelt bill. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Canada Standard
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Canada Standard
'Canada is not for sale' - but new Ontario law prioritizes profits over environmental and Indigenous rights
Despite provincewide protests, Ontario's Bill 5 officially became law on June 5. Critics warn of the loss of both environmental protections and Indigenous rights. The law empowers the province to create special economic zones where companies or projects don't have to comply with provincial regulations or municipal bylaws. Bill 5, also known as the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, reduces the requirements for environmental assessment. By doing so, it weakens ecological protection laws that safeguard the rights of Indigenous Peoples and at-risk species. Indigenous rights and Indigenous knowledge are critical for planetary health. But the bill passed into law with no consultation with First Nations. Therefore, it undermines the duty to consult while seemingly favouring government-aligned industries. Indigenous Peoples have long stewarded the environment through sustainable practices that promote ecological and human health. Bill 5's provisions to allow the bypassing of environmental regulations and shift from a consent-based model to one of consultation violate Aboriginal and Treaty rights. Metis lawyer Bruce McIvor has described the shift as a "policy of legalized lawlessness." Wildfires that are currently burning from British Columbia to northern Ontario are five times more likely to occur due to the effects of climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels. On the federal level, Bill C-5, called the Building Canada Act, was introduced in the House of Commons on June 6 by Prime Minister Mark Carney. This bill further compounds the threat to environmental protections, species at risk and Indigenous rights across the country in favour of resource extraction projects. It removes the need for the assessment of the environmental impacts of projects considered to be of "national interest." Ford and Carney want to fast-track the so-called Ring of Fire mineral deposit within Treaty 9 territory in northern Ontario by labelling it a "special economic zone" and of "national interest." The proposed development is often described as a potential $90 billion opportunity. But scientists say there are no reliable estimates of the costs related to construction, extraction, benefit sharing and environmental impacts in the Ring of Fire. The mining development could devastate traditional First Nations livelihoods and rights. It could also worsen the effects of climate change in Ontario's muskeg, the southernmost sea ice ecosystem in the world. Northern Ontario has the largest area of intact boreal forest in the world. Almost 90 per cent of the region's 24,000 residents are Indigenous. The Mushkegowuk Anniwuk, the original people of the Hudson Bay lowlands, refer to this area as "the Breathing Lands" - Canada's lungs. Cree nations have lived and stewarded these lands for thousands of years. Journalist Jessica Gamble of Canadian National Geographic says the James Bay Lowlands, part of the Hudson Bay Lowlands, are "traditional hunting grounds" and "the largest contiguous temperate wetland complex in the world." This ecosystem is home to 200 different migratory bird species and plays a critical role in environmental health through carbon sequestration and water retention. The Wildlands League has described the area as "home to hundreds of plant, mammal and fish species, most in decline elsewhere." Northern Ontario, meantime, is warming at four times the global average. Jeronimo Kataquapit is a filmmaker from Attawapiskat who is spearheading the "Here We Stand" campaign in opposition to Bill 5 with Attawapiskat residents and neighbouring Mushkegowuk Nations and Neskantaga First Nation. As the spokesperson for Here We Stand, he said: "Ontario's Bill 5 and Canada's proposed national interest legislation are going to destroy the land, pollute the water, stomp all over our treaty rights, our inherent rights, our laws and our ways of life." An estimated 900 to 1,000 polar bears live in Ontario, mostly along the Hudson Bay and James Bay coasts. But there has been a 73 per cent decline in wildlife populations globally since the 1970s, according to the World Wildlife Fund. In Canada, species of global concern have declined by 42 per cent over the same time. Canada's Arctic and boreal ecosystems, once symbols of the snow-capped "Great White North," are now at risk. Polar bears, listed as threatened under the Ontario Endangered Species Act and of "special concern" nationally, are particularly sensitive to human activities and climate change. Polar bears and ringed seals are culturally significant and serve as ecological indicators for ecosystems. Melting sea ice has already altered their behaviour, forcing them to spend more time on land. Cree First Nations in Northern Ontario's biodiverse Treaty 9 territory are collaborating with federal and provincial governments and conservationists to protect polar bears. Right now, there is recognition of the importance of Cree knowledge in planning and the management of polar bears. The new Ontario law removes safeguards protecting the province's endangered species, such as the Endangered Species Act. It strips key protections for at-risk wildlife, such as habitat protections, environmental impact assessments and ecosystems conservation. Climate change and weaker environmental protections will lead to irreversible damage to our environment and biodiversity. The ecosystem services that each animal, insect and plant provides - like cleaning the air we breathe and water we drink - are essential for a healthy province. The impact of Bill 5 and C-5 on these species is likely to be severe. Ontario could benefit from improved infrastructure and economic growth, but development requires careful planning and collaboration. It should rely on innovative science-based solutions, especially Indigenous sciences. And it should never infringe on Indigenous rights, bypass environmental assessments or threaten endangered species. While Bill 5 commits to the duty to consult with First Nations, it falls short of the free, prior and informed consent required by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Since becoming Canadian law in June 2021, the federal government has been obligated to align its laws with UNDRIP. With Bill 5 in place, some of Ontario's major projects may be fast-tracked with minimal safeguards. Both Bill 5 and the proposed C-5 prioritize short-term economic gains that will cause irreversible environmental damage and violate legal obligations under UNDRIP.
Hamilton Spectator
13-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Stratford citizens express concern over recently passed Bill 5
Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, passed its third reading and received royal assent at the Ontario legislature this month. Although much of the discourse surrounding it has been focused on communities in northern Ontario, some in Stratford believe that it has far reaching consequences – and that Stratford citizens should be concerned. 'There are elements of the act that dismantle environmental protection,' Bill James-Abra of Climate Momentum said. 'That is part of it. The other part was the whole tone of the act is part of this process the government's doing of … dismantling local decision-making power and dismantling the voice of local communities to have some say in how development happens. 'If this law had been in place, I'm fairly confident when the Xinyi glass plant was proposed for Stratford, we wouldn't have had any say … it sounds over dramatic, but the law makes it possible for things like our Cooper site to be effectively taken over by the cabinet in Toronto for their hand picked developers to do what they please. It's offensive and it's wrong.' As James-Abra indicated, Bill 5 amends and replaces the Endangered Species Act (once touted as the gold standard of conservation legislation) with the Species Conservation Act, but it also gives the province the special power to establish 'special economic zones.' These zones can be designated anywhere in Ontario and can exempt a company, referred in the legislation as a 'trusted proponent,' or project from complying with provincial laws, regulations or municipal bylaws, as determined by the province. The Province of Ontario proposed the bill in the first place to 'cut red tape and duplicative processes that have held back major infrastructure, mining and resource development projects.' It is intended to make the province more competitive on the global stage, streamlining processes, lowering costs, and shortening review times. In a previous discussion on the 2025 provincial budget, Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae reiterated his party's stance on the bill and said it is necessitated by the uncertain times Ontario and Canada is in. 'Some have described it as an economic war with our U.S. colleagues, and we really need to get things built quickly in a timely manner,' Rae said. 'Bill 5 in particular is looking at mines in northern Ontario. It takes 15 years on average in Ontario to build a mine. That takes five to seven years in the E.U. or Australia.' Rae further said that every U.S. state has a version of a special economic zone and many countries use them as a planning tool. 'If you want investment to happen in the province, you need to facilitate investment … no argument here on that,' James-Abra said in response. 'But it seems the government can't conceive of the possibility that you could do that collaboratively.' Before the bill was officially adopted, Climate Momentum held a 'postcard party' where they invited those interested to a drop-in party at the Falstaff Family Centre. There, they could write or sign custom postcards to be hand delivered to provincial representatives. 'We were really pleased,' James-Abra said about the turnout. 'We ended up with more than 125 handwritten postcards. We had moms and dads coming in with their school-aged kids to write cards together. We had high school students dropping in. We had university students home for the summer break and everything from grandparents to grandkids writing cards.' On May 30, Climate Momentum delivered those letters to Rae's Stratford office. On Monday, after representatives partook in the Pride parade over the weekend, a few more were delivered as well. Now that the bill has received royal ascent, keeping focus on it will be more difficult, James-Abra acknowledged, but his organization will consult with other larger advocacy groups to see what could be done moving forward. On whether or not he has hope that the province will listen to criticism on the bill's measures, he had his doubts – but he still had hope. 'There's an old proverb about how paths are made by walking,' he said. 'There are places where today there are no paths, and in time there will be a path. And it will be made because people walked it. … I'm hopeful. I wouldn't be doing this work if I wasn't.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Canada Standard
09-06-2025
- Business
- Canada Standard
Opinion: 'Don't Look, Just Leap', Carney and Ford Agree
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford seem to think that environmental assessment laws governing new pipelines, mines, nuclear power plants, ports, power dams, and transmission lines are no longer needed. Trust us, they say. Give us and the other politicians in our cabinets unfettered discretion to decide in secret which projects are in the national interest, where free-fire special economic zones should be established, and which corporations we should accept as trusted partners in exploiting Canada's natural wealth No need for serious debate in legislatures, they say. Ontario's Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act , was whipped through the provincial legislature in eight weeks. Carney wants Bill C-5, the Building Canada Act , enacted by Parliament by Canada Day, July 1. Independent scientists, civil society, and local communities need not be consulted on new megaprojects, they say. Governments know best. Yes, Indigenous nations must be heard from on account of that pesky Constitution and Supreme Court. But those consultations must be done quickly because project approvals are guaranteed within two years to ensure certainty for investors. View our latest digests Yes, they say, Canada's boreal forest is burning, atmospheric and other rivers are overflowing, and sea levels are rising. But action to address the climate and biodiversity emergencies really must be put on hold on account of the tyrant to the south. We need to let the U.S. President-not to mention the big investment banks-know that Canada can lay steel and pour concrete as fast as his country can. Benefits to Canadians from these national interest projects must wait, as well. Beginning roughly a half-century ago, Conservative federal and Ontario governments enacted laws requiring development projects to be assessed so that their environmental effects could be avoided, or at least mitigated. Ontario's Environmental Assessment Act was enacted in 1975, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act in 1992. Premier Bill Davis amd Prime Minister Mulroney understood that bureaucrats and consulting engineers don't always get it right, and that the singular focus on economic growth can sometimes leads to ecological disaster. Look before you leap. Ensure that government decisions to approve new highways, oil sands mines, or pipelines at least consider possible adverse environmental effects. Otherwise you get Chornobyl, Fukushima, Deepwater Horizon, and the Mount Polley and Giant mines. Ontario's Bill 5 and federal Bill C-5 effectively override these environmental assessment laws for the very projects that most need assessment and public discussion. Thank goodness we have elected such wise men who truly understand that a tunnel under the 401 highway, a trans-Canada energy corridor, and new roads to the Arctic are environmentally sustainable and will generate amazing benefits to regular Canadians. As catastrophic climate change and species extinctions accelerate, Canadians may be comforted by the thought that oil and gas and mining companies and investment banks will enjoy healthy profits for at least a few more quarters. Stephen Hazell is a veteran environmental lawyer, a member of the Energy Mix Productions Board of Directors, and an advisor to two national organizations assessing the impacts of Bill C-5. Source: The Energy Mix
