Ontario’s Bill 5 fast-tracks industrial development at the expense of environmental safeguards and Indigenous rights. One of the most urgent and irreversible consequences of this legislation is its impact on wildlife, biodiversity, and the delicate ecosystems that sustain life in the North.

Ontario’s Bill 5, formally known as the Protecting Ontario by Enabling Economic Growth Act, 2025, introduces the power to create Special Economic Zones (SEZs) — areas where the Province can override environmental laws, Indigenous rights, and local governance to accelerate industrial development. At Wahkohtowin, we are deeply concerned by the scope and implications of this legislation. It poses a serious threat to Indigenous lands, cultures, and sovereignty — particularly in N

For Indigenous Peoples, Treaties are not symbolic or historical—they are sacred, living agreements between Nations. hey represent a shared understanding of how we live together on the land: with mutual respect, shared stewardship, and a promise to honour each other’s rights and responsibilities.