[All] Fwd: Response to sign-on letter of Oct 19

Sat Jan 23 16:55:19 EST 2016

Below is a letter from Ontario's Minister of Environment and Climate Change responding to a letter that GREN was part of on the government reviews of Greenbelt, lands planning etc. 

John

------------------------------
John Jackson
17 Major Street
Kitchener N2H 4R1
519-744-7503

> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: "Ontario Headwaters Institute" <andrew at ontarioheadwaters.ca>
> Subject: Response to sign-on letter of Oct 19 
> Date: January 20, 2016 at 7:05:25 PM EST
> To: "'Paul Newall'" <paul.newall at rogers.com>, "'Sandy Agnew'" <sagnew at ecomedic.ca>, "Lilly Noble" <ramseylake at live.com>, "Robert Patrick" <patrick.rj at bell.net>, "'Greg Locke'" <greg.locke at icloud.com>, "'Annette Brown'" <info.crand at gmail.com>, "Josh Garfinkel" <joshg at earthroots.org>, <shirley.boxem at gmail.com>, <michael.e.frind at gmail.com>, "John Jackson" <jjackson at web.ca>, <psblakewatch at rogers.com>, <s.buxton at rogers.com>, <grethav at rogers.com>, <jack at cleanairalliance.org>, "'Ian McLaurin'" <ian at mclaurin.ca>, "'Suzanne Crellin'" <suzanne at heavyindustry.org>, "REDC" <info at peopleforcaledon.com>, <debbierawngordon at gmail.com>, <paul at harpley.ca>, "'Mark Cranford'" <mark.cranford at rogers.com>, "'E Haley'" <ehaley1 at gmail.com>, <farlow8 at netscape.net>, <gloria at yrea.org>
> Cc: "'Margaret Prophet'" <teljeur6 at hotmail.com>, "'Leigh Paulseth'" <Leigh at frw.ca>, <kevinthomason at mac.com>, "Amber Ellis" <amber at earthroots.org>
> Reply-To: <andrew at ontarioheadwaters.ca>
> 
> I attach below a letter from Glenn Murray, MOECC, in response to the collaborative letter sent on October 19 that included your signatures.
> Should you like to refresh your memory about the content of the letter, it can be found at http://ontarioheadwaters.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/OHI-to-Premier-Wynne-October-19.pdf <http://ontarioheadwaters.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/OHI-to-Premier-Wynne-October-19.pdf>.
>  
> Please note that the letter from Mr Murray also refers to the OHI submission of October 30, which was on the Province’s new approach on wetland Conservation, which of course was to MNRF and which your organization was not asked to support.
>  
> The OHI is unable to explain how or why MOECC combined these two letters in its response but does not think it worthwhile to point this out to the Minister, nor that the ministry’s confusion in this regard will negatively impact any of your organizations.
>  
> We will be considering the merits of a response from the OHI, and are open to any comments or suggestions from each of you, either for a letter or for other initiatives.
>  
> On that front, we believe there is a need for more and not fewer collective efforts to push for a better balance between natural heritage and hydrologic integrity with Ontario’s continued industrial and land use development, and hope to make an announcement in that regard before the end of the month.
>  
> My best wishes to you all,
>  
> Andrew
> 416 231 9484
>  
>  
>  
> From: Minister, MOECC (MOECC) [mailto:Minister.MOECC at ontario.ca <mailto:Minister.MOECC at ontario.ca>] 
> Sent: January 19, 2016 12:08 PM
> To: andrew at ontarioheadwaters.ca <mailto:andrew at ontarioheadwaters.ca>
> Cc: Premier of Ontario | Première ministre de l’Ontario <Premier at ontario.ca <mailto:Premier at ontario.ca>>; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) <minister.omafra at ontario.ca <mailto:minister.omafra at ontario.ca>>; MIN Feedback (MNRF) <minister.mnrf at ontario.ca <mailto:minister.mnrf at ontario.ca>>; Minister (MAH) <minister.mah at ontario.ca <mailto:minister.mah at ontario.ca>>; Ministers, Mail (MOF) <Minister.fin at ontario.ca <mailto:Minister.fin at ontario.ca>>
> Subject: planning & wetland conservation
>  
> ENV1283MC-2015-2548
>  
> Dear Mr. McCammon:
>  
> Thank you for your correspondence of October 19 and 30, 2015 about the Coordinated Land Use Planning Review, its connections to the Conservation Authorities Act review and the development of a strategy for wetland conservation in Ontario.
>  
> Your comments on the implementation of an integrated system of natural heritage protection, watershed management and land use planning are also appreciated.  Many of your comments relate to the mandates of other ministries, and I have copied my response to those Cabinet colleagues.
>  
> The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) are leading the current provincial Coordinated Review of the Greenbelt Plan, Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, Niagara Escarpment Plan and the Growth Plan.  As part of the review, the Minister of the MMAH also appointed an Advisory Panel, chaired by the Honourable David Crombie, to develop recommendations for the Ministers’ consideration.  The Panel’s report was released in December 2015.  To view the Panel’s recommendations, please visit the MMAH website at http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page10882.aspx <http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page10882.aspx>.
>  
> The province is considering the Advisory Panel’s recommendations and the extensive feedback received.  The province will seek feedback on any proposed amendments to the four plans in early 2016.  The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) is working closely with the MMAH and the MNRF to ensure that the plans continue to support the provincial interests in environmental protection.  
>  
> The MOECC recognizes the important interconnections between the Coordinated Provincial Plans review and ongoing provincial initiatives.  In addition to the work the MOECC has been doing with the MMAH and the MNRF on the plans review, we are also engaged in the MNRF’s Conservation Authorities Act review and the development of a proposed strategic plan for the conservation of Ontario wetlands.
>  
> I appreciate your comments about the protection of hydrologic systems and committing to Integrated Watershed Management as a key implementation tool for current initiatives.  The MOECC has a long history of encouraging integrated, ecosystem-based planning and environmental protection, which considers a range of interconnected matters from water quality and quantity protection to natural heritage protection and climate change.  The MOECC has worked closely with the MMAH, the MNRF and other partner ministries to strengthen the requirements in the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), 2014 regarding the need to plan on a watershed basis for integrated long-term planning.  Given the ‘shall be consistent with’ standard of the PPS, 2014, policy 2.2.1 a) provides strong direction to municipalities and other planning authorities which supports the use of watershed/sub-watershed plans as a basis for land use planning and natural heritage and environmental protection.  The Coordinated Review Advisory Panel also provided recommendations to the government regarding watershed planning in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.  These recommendations are being considered.
>  
> The Great Lakes Protection Act also emphasizes the MOECC’s commitment to use ecosystem-based planning to guide provincial initiatives.  The Act allows the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, in collaboration with other Great Lakes Ministers, communities and stakeholders, to set targets for local and lake-wide areas which will help to manage the cumulative impacts of activities within the Great Lakes watershed.  The Act also allows for “Geographically-focused initiatives” which could be used as a watershed-based tool to address priority issues in specific areas.
>  
> With respect to your comments about engaging stakeholders in monitoring and reporting, the new Great Lakes Protection Act will ensure that monitoring and reporting programs are established and maintained on key matters associated with Great Lakes ecosystem health.  The Act also requires public progress reports on the Great Lakes to be released and tabled in the Legislature every three years.  The progress reports will include results of monitoring programs, actions taken, and a description of new and emerging issues. 
>  
> I would also like to bring your attention to the ‘Open Government’ initiative which was launched in October 2013 in an effort to create a more open and transparent government.  Under this initiative, the ‘Open Data’ portal was established as a publicly accessible Open Data Catalogue of over 400 data sets, 167 of which are related to environment and energy.  The catalogue contains publicly accessible monitoring information and data sets on topics including, but not limited to, land use designations, ecological land classifications, wetlands, wooded areas, source protection areas, watersheds, and many, many more.  The Open Data Directive and Catalogue was extensively consulted on in 2015, and can be viewed on the website at https://www.ontario.ca/page/sharing-government-data <https://www.ontario.ca/page/sharing-government-data>.
>  
> Finally, I appreciate your comments about the need for increased funding levels for the MOECC and the MNRF to deliver on important program areas and for improving and innovating the delivery of ministerial mandates.  I have shared your letter with my colleague, the Honourable Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance, to make him aware of your broader views on funding.  I also appreciate your suggestions regarding more innovative approaches for collaboration and entities worthy of funding support. 
>  
> Again, we appreciate your comments on the Coordinated Review, its related initiatives, and the need for the province to work towards a more integrated approach to natural heritage protection, watershed management and land use planning.  I understand my colleague, Minister McMeekin, has also replied to your correspondence. 
>  
> The MOECC recognizes the critical linkages between all of these important provincial initiatives and the necessary supporting resources, information and implementation tools.  Our ministry continues to work collaboratively with our partner ministries to ensure a coordinated and integrated approach to protecting Ontario’s air, land and water resources.
>  
> Thank you for bringing your concerns to the attention of our government, and please accept my best wishes. 
>  
> Sincerely,
>  
> Glen Murray
> Minister

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