May 2025
It's Not Too Late to Stop Bill 5!
It's Not Too Late to Stop Bill 5!
As parents, grandparents, and caregivers, we are appalled by Bill 5, aka “the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act.”
Bill 5 won’t unleash economic growth that benefits Canadian families. It won’t protect our children from any of the crises we’re facing — housing, affordability, climate, or otherwise.
It will, however:
- attack children's health and wellbeing by removing anti-pollution regulations, dismantling the Endangered Species Act, and exacerbating climate change;
- make life even harder for Indigenous children in Northern Ontario by allowing extractive industry to further poison their lands and waters with impunity;
- fuel income inequality by "unleashing" corporate profits and enriching billionaires while doing nothing to bring down the cost of living for everyday Canadians;
- threaten the safety of children and families living in "special economic zones," in which provincial and municipal laws don't apply; and
- worsen political polarization by weakening our democracy and sending a message to Canadian families that the government does not care about us or our children
It’s not too late to demand that Ford reverse course and do the right thing, but we have to act quickly.
On May 22 and May 26, the Standing Committee on the Interior is holding public hearings on Bill 5. We have until May 26 at 6pm ET to submit written statements for the consideration of the Committee.
Here’s how:
- First, write a brief statement that details your opposition to Bill 5. It doesn’t have to be long, formal, or academic. Personal narratives can be very powerful, so of you’ve got kids in your life, consider mentioning the fact that your opposition to Bill 5 is motivated by your love for your children.
- Next, go to https://www.ola.org/en/apply-committees. Select yes to the first question (“Do you know the bill title you’d like to speak or submit material about?”), and then select Bill 5 from the drop down menu.
- On page 2 (“Choose an application”), select “Submit material only.”
- On page 3 (“Submit material to a committee”), follow the instructions for submitting your written comment either by uploading it as a document or by pasting it into the text box. You can submit as an individual, or on behalf of an organization. Note that your submission (including contact information) will be considered a public document, so don’t disclose anything too personal in your comment (ie the names of your kids, etc.). When you’re ready, click “submit.” (Note that although there is a “preview” step in the timeline on the webpage, you won’t be offered a preview of your document — so be sure you’re ready to submit before clicking the button!)
- You’ll then receive a confirmation of your submission. Hang on to your application ID in case you need to contact the Procedural Services office.
Once you've submitted your comment, feel free to forward it to [email protected] so we can help track our collective impact!
Looking for other ways to raise our collective voice against Bill 5?
Lots of online campaigns allow you to send messages to the Ontario government with just a click, including:
- Tell Doug Ford: Ontario is not for sale (Ecojustice)
- Stop Bill 5 (Environmental Defence)
- Defeat Bill 5, the 'Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act', 2025 (Change.org)
Remember, community-led climate action is our best defense against Bill 5 and other policies that threaten our children, Indigenous sovereignty, and the environment.
Check out forourkids.ca/take_action to learn how you can take action in your community!
