Doug Ford’s controversial Bill 5: Here’s what you need to know [Video]

The most significant legislation from Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives since winning their third straight majority is a sweeping bill that Premier Doug Ford says will protect the economy from tariffs, but which critics say will gut environmental protection. 

Bill 5, also known as the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, is making its way through Queen’s Park and could become law before the legislature breaks for the summer on June 5. 

The Ford government’s public justification for the bill is making major infrastructure and resource extraction projects happen faster by reducing delays and eliminating duplication in the approval process. 

The PCs are framing the bill as an urgent response to the economic threats posed by U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariffs. Critics are calling that a pretext to loosen oversight of how companies operate in Ontario

Concerns are coming not just from Ford’s usual opponents — such as First Nations leaders and environmental groups— but also from organizations as varied as the …