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Ontario’s Bill 5 has been drawing a lot of attention and making headlines this spring. What’s in the bill that’s so concerning?
A new provincial law aimed at “unleashing” Ontario’s economy will also directly impact local governance, labour laws and environmental protections, which some say will open a “Pandora’s box of bad consequences.”
The bill, was granted royal assent on June 5 and is officially titled the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025. Bill 5 presents a comprehensive set of changes to various aspects of Ontario law, with major implications for the province. The new law amends several key pieces of legislation with the goal of fast-tracking economic development, specifically mining in key regions of the province, like the Ring of Fire located roughly 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.
It also introduces or changes legislation affecting local governance, labour laws, and environmental protections.The legislation includes the Special Economic Zones Act, 2025. This legislation gives Queen’s Park the power to designate areas where regulatory approval processes can be amended by the Ontario government, potentially without input from local decision makers.
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