As a voter and lifelong…

As a voter and lifelong resident of Ontario I am very disappointed with the approach this government is taking with respect to The Special Economic Zones Act, 2025 (SEZA). Its effect will be to violate the law and undermine the rights of Indigenous communities, the public and nature. It should be repealed and the proposed regulations withdrawn.

The proposed criteria for SEZ projects focus on economic benefits alone to the detriment of equally important outcomes such as environmental protections, Indigenous Rights and labour standards.
Ontario’s economic competitiveness rests on the maintenance of strong environmental and social regulatory standards, not reducing standards under opaque processes.

The SEZA needs to be repealed. If it isn't repealed, at minimum, the regulations for criteria must be revised so that they:
Promote good governance and avoid corruption by limiting political discretion. This means limiting the discretion of the Minister and Lieutenant Governor in Council to decide whether designation criteria have been met and instead employ an evidence-based approach where criteria are clearly defined, transparent and measurable, with oversight mechanisms to increase public participation.
Respect and uphold Indigenous Rights and sovereignty. This means ensuring any decision-making process respects Indigenous Rights and sovereignty by enabling their meaningful participation, equitable benefit sharing, mandating the assessment of social, cultural, environmental and cumulative impacts, and explicitly referencing the rights and principles enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), including Free, Prior and Informed Consent.
Remove the threat of SEZs operating outside of the law. This means withdrawing the draft regulation and repealing the SEZA that would allow the province to decide what, if any, laws apply to designated projects or proponents within an SEZ.