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Press Release-Bill 66, Attempt to Open Greenbelt for Development

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Published on Wednesday, 09 January 2019 01:54
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Press Release

Doug Ford’s Second Attempt to Open Greenbelt to Development

Protect Our Greenbelt By North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce

(NDACT) January 8, 2019

Melancthon, ON - On December 6, 2018, during the busy Christmas season, Doug Ford’s government introduced Bill 66 Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, an omnibus bill with amendments to at least 15 pieces of Ontario legislation affecting a wide range of services including farming, daycare, private career colleges, wireless and land planning.

Concerned citizens of the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT) are particularly troubled by the land planning amendments of Bill 66. A proposed new section to the Planning Act would allow local municipalities to pass “open-for-business” planning by-laws, which coupled with approval from the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing would by-pass Ontario’s main environmental protections:

• Clean Water Act, 2006.

• Great Lakes Protection Act, 2015.

• Greenbelt Act, 2005.

• Lake Simcoe Protection Act, 2008.

• Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, 2001.

• Places to Grow Act, 2005.

• Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016.

Bill 66 also proposes to repeal the Toxics Reduction Act, 2009.

The Ford government introduced Bill 66 and then abruptly ended the fall sitting of the legislature a week ahead of schedule without answering questions.

The legislature is set to resume February 19, 2019.

NDACT is asking that Ontarians find out more about this significant proposal.

Through Bill 66 the Ford administration appears to be reversing four decades of work by groups and individuals who fought hard for Ontario's current environmental protections. To compound the problem, Ford’s administration has already taken steps to remove oversight and accountability by closing the office of the Environmental Commissioner (ECO).

Invitation NDACT invites you to hear our guest speakers talk about the anticipated impacts of Ontario Bill 66 and potential affect on our Greenbelt:

  • Mike Schreiner is the leader of the Green Party of Ontario and the MPP for Guelph, the first ever Green MPP elected to the Ontario Legislature. Mike has led successful policy campaigns to push the provincial government to fund the Experimental Lakes Area, protect local food supplies by restricting the use of neo-nicotinoid pesticides, support small business by increasing market access for local craft breweries and fight climate change by putting a price on carbon pollution. Mike helped NDACT stop the proposed mega-quarry and is a leading advocate for small businesses, local food, water protection and sustainable communities.
  •  Victor Doyle, the chief architect of Ontario’s farmland-protecting Greenbelt has made it his mission to defend the province’s forward-thinking anti-sprawl policies. No stranger to controversy Victor was disciplined for speaking out against a determined development industry and was vindicated when he won his case in a landmark ruling that professional planners speaking the truth, despite powerful push-back, is not a conflict of interest, it is a requirement of the profession.

Date: Saturday, February 2, 2019

Time: 10am to noon

Location: OAC Centennial Arboretum Centre
University of Guelph College Avenue East
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1

Cost: Free, register at NDACT or “Food and Water First”

About NDACT North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT) is a grassroots group formed in 2009 by local farmers and residents to defend Melancthon’s prime farmland at the headwaters of 5 rivers from a proposed mega-quarry. After a successful campaign, NDACT continues to fight for farmland and source water by developing awareness, encouraging people power, and by promoting better legislation. NDACT has partnered with Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation to present this event. Food & Water First is a campaign of NDACT.

Contact: 
To find out more about this event, please contact:

Karren Wallace,
Chair NDACT
Box 875 Shelburne, ON L9V 3M1
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
#ProtectOurGreenbelt #FoodAndWaterFirst