Wayne Gates
Special to Niagara Now/The Lake Report

Over the past weeks, I’ve heard from hundreds of constituents about their concerns on the Ford government’s new legislation, Bill 5.

Bill 5 is being sold as a way to cut red tape and speed up development. But let me say something: Not all regulation is bad. Some of it protects the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the wildlife that makes our communities so special.

Bill 5 isn’t just trimming fat. It’s hacking away at the very things that keep us healthy, fed and grounded in this province.

Let’s talk about what’s really at stake here.

Niagara-on-the-Lake is home to some of the richest farmland in the country. Our orchards, vineyards, and farms don’t just feed our province — they fuel our economy and shape our identity.

But those crops rely on pollinators, on clean water and healthy soils. These are all things that depend on biodiversity. When you start gutting protections for endangered species, as Bill 5 does, you’re not just putting a few animals at risk. You’re rolling the dice with the whole ecosystem. And when ecosystems collapse, farmers pay the price first.

This bill redefines “habitat” in a way that weakens protections for endangered species. Imagine saying an animal’s home doesn’t count anymore because it’s not where it nests, even if it feeds or migrates there. That’s not science — that’s politics. And that’s dangerous.

Even worse, Bill 5 opens the door for developers to skip the environmental assessments altogether. They can start building right away, just by registering their project themselves, with no permits, no oversight or accountability. That’s like letting students mark their own homework and hoping they’ll be honest about it.

And let’s not forget what this means for our Greenbelt. We’ve fought long and hard to protect that land — not just for the trees and turtles, but for flood protection, for water quality, and for climate resilience.

Once it’s paved over, we don’t get it back. And yet here we are, with this government once again giving itself the power to bypass environmental laws for so-called “special economic zones.” Translation? More land handed over to developers and less say for local communities.

Democracy matters. Local councils, community advocates & organizations, farmers & small businesses and scientists all deserve a seat at the table.

But Bill 5 hands too much unchecked power to ministers behind closed doors. No consultation, no transparency. That’s not how you govern in a democracy. That’s not how you build trust.

I’ve heard from folks across Niagara who are deeply worried about this bill. They are farmers, conservationists, everyday people who just want to leave behind a better world for their kids and grandkids.

One constituent put it best: “Ontario’s endangered species are not red tape to be removed.” I couldn’t agree more.

The natural world isn’t an obstacle to development. In fact, it’s the foundation for it. Clean water, fertile land and climate stability are not luxuries. They are necessities. And protecting them is not some fringe issue. It’s common sense.

So, I’m calling on the government to do the right thing: Scrap Bill 5 and come back with legislation that respects science, respects our environment, and respects the people of Ontario. We can build a strong economy and protect the land we love.

But only if we keep our priorities straight.

Let’s not trade short-term profits for long-term damage. Let’s stand up for nature, democracy and future generations. That’s what leadership looks like.

Wayne Gates is the member of provincial parliament for the Niagara Falls riding, which includes Niagara-on-the-Lake.