The Friends of Stittsville Wetlands (FoSW) have been working behind the scenes to have Bill 5: Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025 rescinded. Bill 5 is a sweeping piece of legislation that amends several pieces of legislation and creates new laws. Most significantly, it eliminates the Endangered Species Act and replaces it with a much weaker and performative Species Conservation Act. It also creates the Special Economic Zones Act, which allows Cabinet to exempt projects from all provincial laws, regulations, and municipal bylaws with no guardrails or criteria.
On June 4, 2025, the Government of Ontario passed Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, despite widespread opposition from Indigenous Peoples, environmental groups, farmers, labour organizations, and people from across the province.
Working with their partner, Ontario Nature, Friends of Stittsville Wetlands intend to present a formal Bill 5 Petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on October 20th.
On behalf of the FoSW, the President, Janet Stavinga, will also be attending the Nature at Queen’s Park event on October 20th. Ontario Nature is hosting this inaugural event. It will provide an opportunity for Ontario Nature and its Nature Network to raise the profile of nature conservation issues amongst all Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), as well as an opportunity to present collective priorities to MPPs from all parties in a reception-style format.
Janet shared, “As October 20th is the first day of the fall session, together we will have an opportunity to emphasize the importance of nature.”
