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The Ford government in Ontario asked its staff for suggestions on how to implement Bill 5, a controversial law passed in spring 2025 that allows special economic zones where provincial and municipal laws can be suspended. The letter from chief of staff Patrick Sackville and Secretary of Cabinet Michelle DiEmanuele requested ideas for projects that could benefit economically and create jobs quickly, but critics argue this shows the government lacked specific plans when it passed the bill.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In June 2025, Ontario's Ford government sent a letter to all ministries asking for suggestions on how to use Bill 5, which allows the provincial cabinet to designate special economic zones where existing laws can be suspended. The bill, passed with limited debate and committee hearings cut short, was widely criticized, especially by First Nations leaders who feared it would expedite mining developments in northern Ontario's Ring of Fire area without proper environmental assessments. Despite initial criticism, Premier Doug Ford’s chief of staff Patrick Sackville and Secretary of Cabinet Michelle DiEmanuele urged ministries to provide ideas for implementing the new powers, indicating a readiness to move forward with using these zones even before specific projects were planned.
Written for “Ontario Labour Law Changes” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 15568 (medium confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-17
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.
uncertain
government → pass → 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.
asserted
laws → dominate → assessments
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.
asserted
it → spark → area
The government time-allocated the legislation to reduce debate time, cut committee hearings short and promised widespread consultations once the law was approved.
asserted
law → allocate → consultations
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.
uncertain
it → send → 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.
asserted
law → pass → ideas
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“Work is underway to develop the framework, criteria and regulations to enable these (special economic) zones.
asserted
Work → get → 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.
asserted
letter → continue → laws
“To support this work, we are asking you to identify projects that could be considered as use cases for these authorities.”
uncertain
that → support → 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.
uncertain
that → promise → benefit
Critics suggest the letter is an indication the government was giving itself new powers without knowing what to do with them.
asserted
government → suggest → 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.
asserted
Fraser → ’ → 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?
asserted
you → know → it
You should have an idea of what the next year looks like in terms of your priorities.
asserted
year → have → 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.
uncertain
Ring → seem → 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.
asserted
government → announce → plan
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