The most significant legislation from Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives since winning their third straight majority is a sweeping bill that Premier Doug Ford says will protect the economy from tariffs but which critics say will gut environmental protection.
Bill 5, also known as the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, is making its way through Queen’s Park and could become law before the legislature breaks for the summer on June 5.
The Ford government’s public justification for the bill is making major infrastructure and resource extraction projects happen faster by reducing delays and eliminating duplication in the approval process.
The PCs are framing the bill as an urgent response to the economic threats posed by U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariffs. Critics are calling that a pretext to loosen oversight of how companies operate in Ontario.
Concerns are coming not just from Ford’s usual opponents — such as First Nations leaders and environmental groups — but also from organizations as varied as the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) and the Toronto Zoo.
Read more: Doug Ford’s controversial Bill 5: Here’s what you need to know – CBC, May 25, 2025
Read more about Bill 5 and Bill 17:
New Ontario bills gut environmental protections, eliminate green building bylaws – Canadian Architect, May 23, 2025
‘The worst piece of legislation in a generation’: 100 organizations oppose Ford’s Bill 5 – Toronto Star, May 22, 2025
Bill 17 Ignores the Real Barriers to Housing While Scapegoating Green Standards – Environmental Defense, May 13, 2025
Blog: Ontario Bill 5 Attacks Environmental Law and the Rule of Law – Canadian Environmental Law Association, May 12, 2025
Ford and Bill 5’s “Special Economic Zones” Bring Worst US-Style Labour Practices to Our Province, Warns CUPE Ontario – Financial Post, May 9, 2025
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