Statement by Tim Gray, Executive Director, Environmental Defence

Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – Today’s release of the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) regulations confirms that the Ontario government intends to give special rights to any of its friends, including those from the United States, to the exclusion of any or all provincial and municipal laws.

The Ontario government failed to integrate the advice of civil society organizations and indigenous communities into the new regulations.

The regulations fail to require clear, transparent and evidence-based criteria for identifying Special Economic Zones, or to refer to the use of any existing legislation to screen or evaluate impacts. In fact, all decisions with regard to the application of this law to select and move forward with projects in Special Economic Zones will rely solely on the ‘opinion of the Minister.’ Selection of ‘trusted proponents’ and ‘designated projects’ also leaves all decisions to the opinion of a Minister and could lead to Ontario’s communities paying a heavy price. The provincial government has anticipated these consequences by attempting to shield itself from liability for the damages these projects may cause by including a prohibition on legal actions within the legislation itself.

ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.

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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Brittany Harris, Environmental Defence, media@environmentaldefence.ca