[All] Give a quick THUMBS UP to help environment in Ontario

[Louisette Lanteigne]

I saw that article Bob. Here it is: http://www.therecord.com/news-story/5457638-region-developers-try-to-reach-deal-on-land-plan/
Reminds me of the ESL. I asked staff why they did't want the ESL to be included in the Greenbelt and they stated that the ESL allows the Region to define it's own boundaries rather than allowing the Province to. They stated their approach was science based yet it excluded the Owen and Vista Hills properties in spite of scientific/hydrogeological merits. Later on I found out that Mr. Wideman, our Waterloo Rep participated in delineation discussions of the ESL even though he is a former land owner of Vista Hills. I raised that point in council and he withdrew from further votes on that issue from that point on. 
I must wonder if this isn't just an extension on the same thought process. 
Lulu 
      From: Bob Burtt <bobburtt at gmail.com>
 To: all at gren.ca 
 Sent: Tuesday, March 3, 2015 11:33 AM
 Subject: Re: [All] Give a quick THUMBS UP to help environment in Ontario
   
Hi Greg…did you see the story on page B-1 in The Record today about the region and developers trying to reach an agreement on how much land can be developed? 


On Mar 4, 2015, at 11:20 AM, Gregory C. Michalenko <gcmichalenko at uwaterloo.ca> wrote:

I read through the attached blurb.  I found it pretty confusing and unfocussed.  I'm not sure they have hit on the really important targets.  If agreements are out of date (sometimes there are deadlines put on development agreements, and if certain actions are not taken within the specified time, then the agreement is null and void).  Or, did they mean "outdated" in a very general sense, projects which are now recognized as dubious  because of advances in ecological knowledge or more sophisticated planning, but are "grandfathered" and can still go ahed on that basis.
As far as the OMB goes, there was a productive workshop on OMB reform held at the Kitchener Auditorium last year, attended by an encouraging mix of about 80 civil servants, officials, environmentalists and the general public. One main recommendation was that developers should not be allowed to challenge official plans, as happened for Waterloo Region.  Perhaps this organization could follow up and find out what the provincial government is doing about these recommendations. We also need to keep the issue of the Waterloo official plan court case before the public's eye.  It is not unlikely that one part of the developer and speculator litigants' strategy is to drain the public purse through expensive legal proceedings and force the Region to compromise.  They know full well that appealing to the public that "tour tax dollars are being wasted" can be a powerful strategy to get their way.  Rather than the symbolic "thumbs up" requested below, the thumbs should be employed to send text message enquiries, or get onto the phone and talk to officials and let our concerns be known.
Greg Michalenko

 
From: All [all-bounces at gren.ca] on behalf of Louisette Lanteigne [butterflybluelu at rogers.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 7:41 PM
To: all at gren.ca
Subject: [All] Give a quick THUMBS UP to help environment in Ontario

There is a great need to redefine the purpose of the OMB to ensure environmental protection takes precedence over development and aggregates. The out of date agreements need to be overridden/reversed and recognized as human-induced stressors so that we can increase resiliency to our ecosystem.
To make this issue a priority, visit this site and click the Thumbs Up symbol. Votes will be tallied until March 19. 
https://talk.ontario.ca/climate/idea/increased-protection-and-enforcement-environment

Thanks to Connie Cody and Sue Stubley for this one!
Lulu :0)_______________________________________________
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