New proposal from Ontario prioritizing business over biodiversity snuck out before public holiday

Just before the Easter public holiday, the Ontario government introduced new omnibus legislation: the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025.

The bill amends eight existing laws and enacts two new ones. Among its most sweeping changes is the proposed repeal of the Endangered Species Act, 2007, to be replaced with a significantly weakened version, titled the Species Conservation Act, 2025.

Another new statute introduced in the bill is the Special Economic Zones Act, 2025, which - despite offering few details - would grant Cabinet broad regulatory authority to designate zones, exempt certain proponents and projects from existing laws (including municipal by-laws), and override or modify legal requirements. It would also extinguish certain legal rights and avenues for appeal.

According to the government, the bill is designed to cut red tape, accelerate approvals for major infrastructure and resource projects (notably mining in the Ring of Fire), and “unlock” Ontario’s critical minerals potential in the face of U.S. trade tensions - all while pledging to maintain environmental standards and fulfill constitutional obligations to Indigenous communities.

Our analysis:

• Claims that the current Endangered Species Act causes “unnecessary delays and costs” overlook the many revisions already made over the years to “streamline” processes, the lack of any measurement of outcomes, and the inclusion of further changes in the new Act that have little to do with efficiency.
• The bill would allow Ontario to disregard species listings based on independent scientific assessments using internationally recognized criteria, opening the door to exclude species from protection when doing so is politically or economically expedient.
• The redefinition of “habitat” would strip away ecological context, reducing it to individual nesting or roosting sites - as if a species' survival needs begin and end there. This is especially troubling given that habitat loss and degradation are the leading threats to most species at risk.
• The province proposes to offload responsibility for migratory birds and aquatic species by citing federal jurisdiction - sidestepping its role in shared stewardship. This overlooks the reality that coordinated action is essential, given the province’s responsibility for land use, natural resource management, and permitting decisions that directly affect species in provincial waters and on provincial lands.
• The concept of "special economic zones" is introduced without criteria, scope, or geographic indication, leaving open significant questions about oversight, accountability, and implications for environmental and local governance.

The proposed Species Conservation Act appears to offer little in the way of meaningful protection - raising serious questions about the purpose of replacing existing legislation with a statute that is largely performative. Similarly, the proposed Special Economic Zones Act appears to be concentrating power in the hands of Cabinet without transparency or clear parameters - raising questions about whether this is a genuine policy tool or a vehicle to bypass public and environmental accountability.