ORA strongly opposes the proposed Special Economic Zones Act, 2025, as outlined in ERO 025-0391 and introduced through the omnibus Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025 (Bill 5). The legislation enables vast regulatory rollbacks and consolidates decision-making power in the provincial Cabinet, bypassing vital environmental, democratic, and Indigenous consultation mechanisms.
The SEZ framework constitutes a radical departure from Ontario’s long-standing legal tradition of environmental stewardship, public participation, and transparent land-use planning. The proposed Act undermines the public interest in favour of unchecked industrial expansion.