The Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Network is speaking out against the Ford government's proposed Bill 5 – “Get It Done Act.”
Manager of the Network, Doran Ritchie, has sent out a letter saying the legislation, which is meant to fast track housing development, will dismantle environmental governance, and marginalizes Indigenous rights and responsibilities.
Ritchie says while they are not directly included in the Bill, the broader legislation will pose a significant risk to the ecological governance principles, cultural protections, and collaborative planning frameworks that sustain Niagara.
He says Bill 5 undermines the ability to work with communities, scientists, municipalities, and Indigenous Nations.
"To be clear, Indigenous Peoples are not stakeholders—they are rights-holders, with governance systems that reflect generations of knowledge, ceremony, and deep ecological relationships. Among the First Nations along the Escarpment, species like turtles, bears, and sturgeon are not simply endangered—they are kin, lawmakers, and truth-tellers. Their protection is not based on policy triggers, but on principles of balance, gratitude, duty, and responsibility. These teachings long predate Ontario’s environmental legislation, and in most cases, surpass it in both integrity and effectiveness."
He is calling on the the Government of Ontario to withdraw or revise Bill 5 and recommit to collaboration with Indigenous Nations, local communities, biosphere partners, and environmental experts.
"The Escarpment cannot afford further erosion—of its habitats, of its governance, or of the shared trust that protects it."