Prince Edward County Council has voted to stand against Ontario Bill 5.
During council’s tuesday meeting, Councillor Kate MacNaughton put forward a motion for council to oppose the legislation that is currently being considered by the provincial government.
Bill 5: Protecting Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy act has been widely criticized, and Councillor MacNaughton highlighted several complaints about the bill in her motion. Her complaints included removing environmental protections, overriding local planning authority, and undermining the treaty rights of First Nations.
The environmental concerns included the repeal of the endangered species act, creation of special economic zones exempt from environmental protections, and major changes to the Mining Act which grant large but poorly defined powers to the Minister of Energy and Mines.
Councillor MacNaughton’s motion called for the county to stand in solidarity with First Nations people already opposing the bill, and urge the province to remove parts of the bill designed to reduce environmental protection or damage First Nations’ rights, along with more concretely defining the proposed special economic zones.
Speaking to the motion, she said that she was concerned the Ontario government wasn’t taking feedback on the bill seriously.
“What the province is proposing is to place the rights of certain proponents over others,” said Councillor MacNaughton. “That includes us, and that includes First Nations, and that includes the public.”
The motion was passed, and copies of the motion are being sent to Premier Doug Ford, Bay of Quinte MPP Tyler Allsopp, Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack, Minister of the Environment Todd McCarthy, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, along with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Rural Ontario Municipal Association, and Chief Don Maracle of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.
