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ARTICLE · 02 MAY 2025

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Ontario Proposes A New Approach To At-Risk Species Protection

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
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Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

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Ontario has announced a planned overhaul of the province's endangered species legislation. The approach was announced on April 17, 2025, as part of Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025.

CanadaEnvironment
Ryan McNamara
Ryan McNamara
Jonathan Kahn
Jonathan Kahn
Lana Finney
Lana Finney
Zoe Harrison (Articling Student)
Zoe Harrison (Articling Student)
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Introduction

Ontario has announced a planned overhaul of the province's endangered species legislation. The approach was announced on April 17, 2025, as part of Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025. If passed, this bill will make significant interim amendments to the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA) and later repeal the ESA and replace it with a new Species Conservation Act, 2025 (SCA) on a date to be named by the provincial government.

Bill 5 also contains a variety of other amendments streamlining project approval processes, including mining projects.

The stated objective behind these proposed changes to species conservation legislation is to speed up project timelines and increase business certainty, while still protecting species at risk. Among other things, these proposed changes would:

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