Ontario Bill 5: Policy and Impact Dashboard (2025)
Legislative and Regulatory Shift: Scope and Speed
Bill 5 repeals the Endangered Species Act, 2007, enacts the Species Conservation Act, 2025, and amends 8+ other statutes, including the Mining Act, Environmental Assessment Act, and Ontario Heritage Act. Over 20 regulatory powers were centralized to ministers or cabinet, and 3 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) were designated within 60 days of passage.
Sources: [1][2][5][6][7]
Project Approvals, Environmental Assessments, and Mining Claims
Bill 5 terminated environmental assessments for the Eagle’s Nest mine and Dresden landfill, and fast-tracked 7 major projects. The Mining Lands Administration System (MLAS) saw a 34% increase in suspended claims, with 18% of claims now on Indigenous lands.
Sources: [2][6][7]
Public Sector and Energy Impacts
452 retrofit projects canceled/paused; 41,000 tCO₂e annual savings lost; 11.3% rise in public sector emissions; 8-14% utility bill increases in major cities; $92M in annualized public sector energy costs added.
Sources: OPSBA, IESO, Ontario Hospital Association, [5][6]
Indigenous Rights, Consultation, and SEZ Impacts
3 SEZs designated; 0 Indigenous communities formally consulted; 11 formal complaints; 2 lawsuits; 18% of new mining claims on Indigenous lands; 6 public statements and 2 injunction threats by First Nations.
Sources: Chiefs of Ontario, [7][5][6]
Ecological Consequences: Species, Wetlands, and Habitat
1,200+ ha of wetlands reclassified; 17% of significant wetlands at risk; 243 species at risk; 42 ESA species lost; 85 COSSARO threatened species; 2 major habitat corridors fragmented.
Sources: COSSARO, Ontario Nature, [1][3][5][6]
Legal, Ombudsman, and Federal Actions
2 major lawsuits (Ecojustice, Environmental Defence); 11 Ombudsman investigations; 1 federal review; 4 parliamentary inquiries; 7 municipal resolutions; 9 protest events.
Sources: Ecojustice, Environmental Defence, CBC, Parliament of Canada, [4][5][7]
Policy Durability, Oversight, and International Benchmarking
Ontario scores lowest among major provinces for policy durability, oversight, and resilience. BC and Quebec have entrenched targets and fiscal linkage; Nova Scotia uses mandatory review cycles. The EU and NZ score highest for legal permanence and oversight.
Sources: CCLI, BC CCAA, QC Climate Act, NS EGCCRA, OECD, NZ Climate Commission, EU Climate Law
Emissions Impact: National and Provincial Trends
Ontario’s rollback adds 2.7 MtCO₂e/yr to Canada’s net emissions; Canada’s 2030 target gap widens by 7.2%. Ontario’s public sector emissions rose 11.3% in one year; Quebec and BC emissions declined.
Sources: ECCC, UNFCCC, IESO, [5][6]