Doug Ford's Bill 5 is now law in Ontario. Here's what happens next
Doug Ford's Bill 5 is now law in Ontario. Here's what happens next
Bill 5, also called the Protecting Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, empowers the government (among other things) to create special economic zones, where cabinet can exempt companies or projects from having to comply with any provincial law, provincial regulation or municipal bylaw.
Ford pitches Bill 5 as a way of shoring up Ontario's economy in the face of Donald Trump's tariffs by speeding up major infrastructure and resource projects.
Ford's officials insist the government won't exempt any company in a special economic zone from Ontario's minimum wage rules or other labour laws.
But the wide-open way the legislation is written would allow cabinet to hand out exemptions from any law, whether labour, environmental or operational.
Expect first nation protests everywhere and often in the next few years.
Like one chief in the north here said ... Chief Jennifer Constant in Mattagami FN near Timmins .... the government has put all resource development at risk because FNs won't stand for this. There has been years of negotiation and relationship building with FNs and industry, now all that good will is drying up. Now any company that wants to go anywhere near FN lands will have entire communities protesting, blocking and fighting them at every turn. Their projects all just got more expensive because they pissed off the people who live on the land.