Bill 66 would override crucial protections for clean water, farmland, wetlands

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Published on Monday, 14 January 2019 18:57

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Published in orangeville.com , Opinion Section,  January 14, 2019

MPP for Dufferin-Caledon Sylvia Jones claims that Bill 66 is about reducing “outdated, unnecessary and duplicate regulations that do not provide protections to our environment.” In fact, however, the proposed bill, if passed, will allow municipalities to pass open-for-business bylaws to override crucial protections for clean water, farmland, wetlands, woodlands and habitat for endangered species in numerous provincial laws and policies. These include protections set out in the Clean Water Act, the Planning Act, Greenbelt Act and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, all of which are central to land-use planning and decision-making in Dufferin-Caledon.

Under Bill 66, these protections could be swept aside without public notice, public consultation or an opportunity for appeal. Perhaps that’s what the Government of Ontario means by cutting red tape — axing public input.

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