Opposition to Bill 5, wide and diverse
Editor:
Re: Bill 5 is a long-overdue effort, The Creemore Echo, May 30, letters, page 4.
Are targeted suspensions of the rule of law and erosion of environmental protections necessary to “Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy”? At least one person thinks so, recently taking to these pages to defend what critics have called “The worst piece of legislation in a generation.” The author’s pecuniary interest as a patriarch in a multi-generational aggregate and road construction business does much to explain his support.
Packed rallies, petitions signed by thousands, and 100-plus organizations, including the National Farmers Union, Environmental Defense, the Canadian Civil Liberties Union, and several First Nations directly contradict the assertion that opponents of Bill 5 are an ideologically misinformed minority. The scope of opposition to Bill 5 is wide and diverse, unifying Ontarians and First Nations to protect the places we love.
It is flat-out wrong to claim this legislation “does not remove protections for endangered species.”
Anyone suggesting this has clearly not read the text of Bill 5, which repeals the Endangered Species Act, legally redefines habitat to be so small and fragmented as to be meaningless, and also gives cabinet the authority to unilaterally remove species from protection without a science-based assessment. The author asks us to put our trust in the government not to abuse the power they are grabbing with this bill while also characterizing neutral third parties as redundant “red tape” next to industry self-regulation.
On paper, mining may be a “heavily regulated sector,” but regulations laws are meaningless without enforcement.
According to the Auditor General’s Value-for- Money Audit of the Management of Aggregate Resources, published December 2023, even though 64 per cent of aggregate companies were found to violate regulations, inspectors referred less than one per cent of non-compliant companies for an investigation that could lead to a charge. The report found 75 per cent of aggregate inspectors werereviewing less than five per cent of the operations in their district.
It is well worth asking if this Bill, and all it asks of us, is even necessary for the aggregate industry. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources already issues licenses for 13 times more aggregate than is needed to meet average annual demand, leading to a confirmed 6.2 billion tonne reserve in the Greater Golden Horseshoe – enough to meet construction needs for the next 26-38 years, based on current projections. Approval delays are very clearly not impacting supply.
In actuality, the true misinformed minority may be those who would have us believe that a thriving economy cannot co-exist with the rule of law.
Nick Clayton,
Blue Mountains.
