Toronto350 recently submitted a formal opposition to Ontario’s proposed Get It Done Act (Bill 17) through the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO). This legislation threatens public consultation, environmental protections, Indigenous rights, and long-term climate resilience across the province.
Below is our submission, authored by member Shai Rahmanov, outlining our key concerns and calling on elected officials to act responsibly in the face of this critical issue.
Formal Opposition to Bill 17:
A Threat to Ontario’s Environment, Health, and Democracy
Bill 17, the Get It Done Act, is not a path to efficiency—it’s a dangerous assault on Ontario’s environmental safeguards, democratic institutions, and long-term climate obligations. As a resident of Ontario and environmental advocate, I strongly oppose this legislation.
The bill gives the Premier sweeping powers to override municipal autonomy and bypass public consultation. This violates the Municipal Act and contradicts constitutional principles upheld by the Supreme Court, which protect democratic governance and citizen participation.
Bill 17 also guts environmental oversight. It allows major infrastructure to proceed without proper assessments, in direct conflict with the Environmental Assessment Act. Scientific research shows this approach will increase flood risk, damage ecosystems, and burden taxpayers with long-term costs. The Intact Centre found every $1 invested in natural infrastructure prevents up to $6 in flood damage.
The bill weakens the Environmental Bill of Rights, allowing projects to skip public registry consultation. This violates Ontarians’ legal right to engage in environmental decisions and may infringe on Section 2(b) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
It also risks violating Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, by ignoring the Crown’s duty to consult Indigenous communities. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Haida Nation v. BC affirms that consultation is not optional—yet Bill 17 moves forward as if it is.
Public health is at risk. Deregulated development increases exposure to pollution and toxic runoff, disproportionately harming low-income and racialized communities. The Ontario Public Health Association warns that poor planning contributes to asthma, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Bill 17 undermines Ontario’s climate commitments under Canada’s Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act and threatens prime farmland and the Greenbelt—critical for food security and climate resilience. It could also lead to judicial review, legal backlash, and loss of investor confidence as Ontario becomes less attractive to ESG-aligned industries.
Finally, the bill violates the principle of intergenerational justice. We are stripping protections today at the expense of tomorrow’s children.
Why This Matters:
Bill 17 silences the public, endangers the environment, weakens democratic checks, and opens Ontario to lawsuits and ecological collapse. I urge all MPPs to reject Bill 17 and stand for transparent, just, and climate-responsible governance. History will remember this decision.
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