Food and Water First
Food Water FirstBill 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MPP for Dufferin-Caledon Sylvia Jones claims that Bill 66 is about reducing “outdated, unnecessary and duplicate regulations that do not provide protections to our environment.”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.
NDACT's Submission Regarding Bill 66
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- Published on Wednesday, 09 January 2019 03:09
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January 2, 2019 Submission
NORTH DUFFERIN AGRICULTURAL AND COMMUNITY TASKFORCE SUBMISSION - BILL 66 PREMISE:
On December 6, 2018, the government introduced Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act (“Bill 66”).
There are five proposals open for public comment, closing January 20, 2019.
COMMENTS:
NDACT is supportive of the goal of streamlining and reducing red tape for businesses to operate in Ontario. However the proposed amendment to the Planning Act takes away the democratic right of citizens to know what is happening in their own backyard, provide input and if needed oppose the development. Transparency is a key and fundamental issue that is missing from Bill 66. Profits for corporations should not come before the rights of the taxpayers, their health or the environment.
NDACT has written and submitted 3 different submissions, to the 3 different Environmental Registry of Ontario Notices (ERO).
ERO #013-4125
Link to the ERO Proposal Notice #013-4125
January 14, 2019 Submission by NDACT
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ERO #013-4239
Link to the ERO Proposal Notice #013-4239
January 14, 2019 Submission by NDACT
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ERO #013-4293
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
Open-for-business Planning By-law Proposal
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- Published on Friday, 07 December 2018 23:17
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Proposal summary
The government is proposing to make changes to the Planning Act to create a new economic development tool, the open-for-business planning by-law. The tool would be available to all local municipalities, if certain prescribed criteria are met, to ensure they can act quickly to attract businesses seeking development sites.
This consultation closes at 11:59 p.m. on:
January 20, 2019
Proposal details
Description of Regulation
The government is proposing to make changes to the Planning Act to create a new economic development tool, the open-for-business planning by-law. The tool would be available to all local municipalities, if certain prescribed criteria are met, to ensure they can act quickly to attract businesses seeking development sites.
A municipality’s request to use an open-for-business planning by-law would need to be accompanied by information that would be prescribed in a proposed new regulation, such as a description of the subject lands, land use planning information, and open-for-business information, including details about the proposed employment opportunity.
NDACT's Greenbelt Expansion Submission Letter
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- Published on Thursday, 27 September 2018 18:14
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In March 2018, NDACT / Food & Water First submitted comments regarding the Greenbelt Expansion, (EBR #013-1661) to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Provincial Policy Planning Branch.