The Saugeen Ojibway Nation will speak to the Ontario Standing Committee for the Interior about its concerns with proposed legislation that will scale back environmental protections.
The controversial Bill 5, called the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, proposes to overhaul regulations to accelerate energy development and mineral extraction projects. It will achieve that by designating some areas as special economic zones, where those considered to be "trusted proponents" would be exempt from provincial or municipal laws and regulations, including requirements for permits.
Areas that would be exempt include the Ring of Fire and the Dresden dump expansion.
"Ontario's Bill 5 has the potential to affect SON's rights and our Territory by weakening protections for archeological sites and species at risk, and exempting developers from laws that control development," said a statement from the First Nation.
SON will be speaking around 5 p.m. You can watch the meeting here.