On April 17, the Ontario Government introduced Bill 5, named the "Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act" 2025.
This bill includes proposed changes to a number of pieces of legislation currently in effect, with the aim of expediting investment in areas such as mining and power generation. Some of the affected legislation includes the Endangered Species Act (which is repealed and replaced), the Environmental Assessment Act, the Environmental Protection Act, and the Ontario Heritage Act.
Under Bill 5, the 2007 Endangered Species Act is to be replaced by the Species Conservation Act, 2025. These measures are subject to a public consultation open until 17 May 2025, which can be accessed through the Environmental Registry of Ontario, ERO number 025-0380.
The new framework appears to limit the requirements on certain types of development to mitigate or eliminate the impacts of a project on endangered species. This may provide impetus for power generation and mining projects in Ontario's boreal region.
Information on Bill 5 can be found here:
https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-44/session-...