Last week, the government…

Last week, the government released draft regulations that outline how zones, projects and proponents will be designated under the Act.

The regulations were 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 protection.

Here’s what’s at stake:
• 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.