The Progressive Conservative government in Ontario, led by Premier Doug Ford, decided to limit debate time in the legislative assembly regarding several controversial bills, foremost among them Bill 5, which has drawn widespread criticism from opposition parties and civil society organizations.

According to officials at Queen's Park, the government House Leader Paul Calandra submitted a motion to set time limits for debate on several bills, allowing the government to pass them quickly without enabling the opposition to discuss them extensively.

Bill 5, which proposes radical changes to the administrative oversight mechanism in the province's municipalities, is facing criticism for what opponents see as an "excessive concentration of power" and an unprecedented grant of authority to mayors at the expense of municipal councils.

In media statements, opposition members accused the government of attempting to "silence democratic debate" and "push through a legislative agenda without sufficient transparency," emphasizing that limiting debate time undermines the role of parliamentary oversight.

For its part, the government defended the measure, stating that "people want results, not endless debates," and that expediting the passage of laws is necessary to address the economic and service challenges facing the province.

Final approval of Bill 5 is expected later this week, with the Conservatives holding a comfortable majority in the legislative assembly.