The Special Economic Zones…

The Special Economic Zones Act, 2025 (Bill 5) gives the Ontario government too many powers to override necessary environmental protections, exempt hand-picked companies from laws, and sideline Indigenous voices within “Special Economic Zones” (SEZs) — in the name of “economic growth”.

The recent regulations disclosed could have been a chance to place meaningful limits on the powers that the Act grants to Cabinet. Instead, they reinforce the Minister’s discretionary power, doing nothing to alleviate concerns about transparency, accountability, and environmental issues.

I do not support the present legislation for many reasons. Here are a few:

SEZs can be declared anywhere in Ontario if Cabinet believes that area is “economically significant or strategically important” and “no larger than necessary”.

“Trusted proponents” can be handpicked by the Minister with no independent checks. Whether they have a good record on environmental compliance is entirely “in the opinion of the Minister”.

Designated projects within SEZs are only required to consider health and environmental risks. There’s no requirement to ensure that risk mitigation strategies actually work, and no independent oversight.

Despite clear feedback from Indigenous communities, the draft regulation contains no mechanism to affirm Indigenous rights or consultation requirements.