Days after passing a controversial law to create special economic zones, where provincial and municipal rules could be suspended, the Ford government cast a wide net looking for ideas on how to actually use its new powers.
The spring 2025 sitting of the Ontario legislature was dominated by Bill 5, a law that would allow Premier Doug Ford and his cabinet to designate areas where provincial and municipal laws, including environmental assessments, would be set aside.
The proposal sparked widespread backlash, particularly from First Nations leaders over the suggestion it would be used to fast-track mining developments in northern Ontario’s mineral-rich Ring of Fire area.
The government time-allocated the legislation to reduce debate time, cut committee hearings short and promised widespread consultations once the law was approved.
But a letter sent to all ministries in June 2025 by Ford’s chief of staff suggests the government was ready to blast ahead with the changes, even if it didn’t have particular projects in mind when it gave itself the new powers.
A letter from Patrick Sackville and Secretary of Cabinet Michelle DiEmanuele to all chiefs of staff within the government four days after the law had passed asked for ideas.
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“Work is underway to develop the framework, criteria and regulations to enable these (special economic) zones. We will also continue to monitor and work with the federal government on the One Canadian Economy legislation that has been introduced to remove federal internal trade barriers and advance national interest projects,” the letter, obtained by Global News using freedom of information laws, read.
“To support this work, we are asking you to identify projects that could be considered as use cases for these authorities.”
The letter, which promised further consultations with Indigenous communities, asks for ideas that would create jobs, could succeed quickly, strengthen the supply chain and offer a broad economic benefit.
Critics suggest the letter is an indication the government was giving itself new powers without knowing what to do with them.
“It’s just amazing to me that the government announces a signature policy, and they don’t know what they’re going to use it for,” Ontario Liberal interim leader John Fraser told Global News.
“Then the question is if you didn’t know what you were going to do with it in the first place… why did you do it? You should have an idea of what the next year looks like in terms of your priorities. It seems very willy-nilly to me.”
It’s unclear how many ideas chiefs of staff submitted to the premier’s office to consider designating as special economic zones and the Ford government did not respond to questions sent by Global News.
More than a year after it rushed to give itself the power, the government has barely used the powers it gave itself.
The government has indicated that the Ring of Fire — originally seen as the driving force for the legislation — is unlikely to be designated after reaching agreements with three communities to build all-season roads in the north.
The province did announce plans to designate Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport as a special economic zone to speed up an expansion for the downtown site, before the federal government paused the plan.
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