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What Bill 5 Means For Durham
 
Greenbelt Back on the Table — and Then Some
 
Recently introduced, Bill 5, gives the government power to create “Special Economic Zones” (SEZs) where normal laws and planning rules, including Greenbelt protections, will no longer apply. These zones can be declared without public notice, public input, or municipal oversight — and projects inside them face no environmental review or right to appeal.
 
This is a backdoor to sprawl — not just in the Greenbelt, but across Ontario, from farmland to floodplains, no area is off-limits if it stands in the way of a politically driven development agenda.
 
Species at Risk Left Behind
 
Bill 5 guts the Endangered Species Act, replacing it with a weaker “Species at Risk Conservation Act” that puts decisions in political hands and strips away science-based protections. This opens the door to destruction of vital ecosystems — the same headwaters, habitats, and corridors that define the ecological health of the Greenbelt, Oak Ridges Moraine, and local watersheds like Carruthers Creek.
 
Democracy Undone
 
Bill 5 overrides municipal planning authority and may bypass Indigenous consultation. Within SEZs, projects could proceed with:
 
❌ No public consultation
❌ No environmental assessments
❌ No right to appeal
 
Silencing Local Voices
 
Under Bill 5, municipal planning powers would be overridden, with decision-making pulled into the hands of Queen’s Park and its developer allies. Infrastructure and mining projects could be pushed forward without proper environmental scrutiny — turning Special Economic Zones into “anything goes” zones.
 
Bill 5 also opens the door to sidestepping archaeological assessments and meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities.
 
What’s at Stake for Durham?
 
Bill 5 paves the way for intensified sprawl, threatening farmland, watersheds, and the downstream communities that rely on them. You fought to keep the Greenbelt whole. Now we must fight to keep it respected.
 
This isn’t just about the Greenbelt anymore. It’s about everything we’ve been fighting for.
 
 
 
WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW
 
 
1. Sign and Send this Petition to Durham Region MPPs
 
2. Sign and Send this Petition to municipal councillors
 
3. Call Your MPP
Tell your MPP: Bill 5 is undemocratic, dangerous, and must be stopped. Remind them
we haven’t forgotten the last Greenbelt fight — and we won’t back down. Find your MPP
 
4. Spread the Word
Forward this message. Talk to your neighbours. Share on social. The more people who
understand the scope of this bill, the stronger our collective voice.
 
5. Monitor your Email for Updates from Stop Sprawl Durham for further updates and actions you can take to stop Bill 5!
 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
 
 
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