Unleashed? Unhinged! Why Bill 5 Threatens the Oak Ridges Moraine—and What You Can Do About It
- Robert Brown
- May 16
- 3 min read
In 1989, the Save the Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM) Coalition was founded with a simple but powerful mission: to protect the water, woodlands, wildlife, and communities that make up the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM). For decades, we’ve fought for this vital natural landscape—one that supports the health and prosperity of over half of Ontario’s population.
But now, after years of straining the limits of good policy and planning, the Provincial Government is proposing yet another sweeping set of policy changes. This time, it's Bill 5: legislation that would enable unplanned, unchecked, and unhinged development across Ontario.
The Ontario government’s proposed legislation—Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act—claims to promote economic growth and stability. But in reality, it disguises a dangerous agenda: one that rolls back environmental protections, undermines community-led land use planning, and erodes Indigenous rights.
STORM Coalition has formally submitted our concerns to the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO), and we need your voice to amplify this urgent message.
Why the Oak Ridges Moraine Matters
The ORM is not red tape to be cut.
It provides clean drinking water for over 50% of Ontario’s population.
It supports habitat for more than 70 provincially and federally listed species at risk, including the Jefferson Salamander and Red-shouldered Hawk.
Spanning over 1,900 km² (190,000 hectares), it forms a vital ecological corridor linking the Greenbelt and Niagara Escarpment, supporting species migration and genetic diversity.
Over 30% of the Moraine is farmland, contributing to Ontario’s $13.7 billion agri-food sector.
It naturally absorbs and filters billions of litres of stormwater annually, protecting downstream communities from flooding—especially as climate change intensifies extreme weather events.
For decades, protections like the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP) and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act (ORMCA ) have safeguarded this critical system. These frameworks ensure smart planning, development oversight, and long-term ecological health.
And yet, since 2018, the provincial government has methodically and strategically undermined the very policies and mechanisms designed to protect it.
What Bill 5 Would Do
Bill 5 is not going to build cheaper homes, provide affordable energy, or protect us from American econonimc instalbity—it’s a full-frontal attack on environmental law. Here's what’s at stake:
Schedule 2 – Endangered Species Act
Redefines “habitat” so narrowly it excludes critical migration and breeding areas.
Allows politicians to override scientific advice on species protection.
Eliminates recovery plans and progress reporting.
Undermines the ORMCP’s ability to enforce species protections.
Schedule 3 – Environmental Assessment Act
Exempts major infrastructure projects from full environmental review.
Shuts out public and Indigenous participation.
Increases the risk of irreversible damage to sensitive ecosystems.
Schedule 4 – Environmental Protection Act
Slashes funding for environmental monitoring programs.
Weakens enforcement mechanisms for pollution and land degradation.
Schedule 9 – Special Economic Zones Act
Creates “zones” where developers can bypass local planning rules and environmental laws.
Overrides municipal authority, public input, and Indigenous rights.
Grants Crown immunity to those operating within these zones.
Why This Matters to Everyone in Ontario
If passed, Bill 5 would erase decades of progress. It prioritizes short-term profits over long-term sustainability, political convenience over scientific evidence, and secrecy over public accountability.
This bill would:
Gutt Ontario’s core environmental protections.
Silence the voices of local communities, conservationists, and Indigenous leaders.
Unleash irreversible ecological damage across watersheds and habitats we all depend on.
What You Can Do: Take Action Now
STORM has made our stance clear in our official submission to the ERO. Now we need you to speak up.
Make your voice heard. Here’s how:
Submit your comment to the Environmental Registry of Ontario:
📅 Deadline: Saturday May 17th
Tell the government:
Withdraw Schedules 2, 3, 4, and 9
Protect the Oak Ridges Moraine and endangered species
Respect Indigenous rights and uphold public accountability
The Moraine Can’t Speak for Itself—But You Can
Bill 5 isn’t just a piece of legislation. It’s a test of our shared values. Will we stand by while the Provincial Government pushes through another bill that strips away ecological protections, disempowers local communities, and ignores Indigenous consultation?
Or will we stand—like we did during the original Greenbelt scandal—and show the government that Ontarians are watching, organizing, and ready to fight for the land, water, and future we all depend on?
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