[All] Bleams Road widening + Ford's slashing of the OMB

Tue Feb 26 10:55:42 EST 2019

It is still a tragedy that we should object to.

John

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

> On Feb 26, 2019, at 10:46 AM, <strothjkl at sympatico.ca> <strothjkl at sympatico.ca> wrote:
> 
> Thanks for explaining that John – I was getting confused by the 2 names. This then is not so bad, but is still not good at all. 
>  
> Lori S.
>  
> From: John Jackson <jjackson at web.ca> 
> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2019 10:43 AM
> To: strothjkl at sympatico.ca
> Cc: GREN <all at gren.ca>
> Subject: Re: [All] Bleams Road widening + Ford's slashing of the OMB
>  
> Lori
>  
> I've had a few requests to put this on the GREN agenda and will do so.
>  
> Just one clarification: it isn't the replacement for the OMB that Ford is ending. The Liberal government had changed the OMB to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). The liberals had also set up a new agency - the Local Planning Appeal Support Centre (LPASC). It is this latter agency that they are closing down. Closing the LPASC is a major setback for citizen action in Ontario because this organization was providing expert advise and support to those who wanted to participate in planning matters. It's closure will make it harder for citizens to participate in matters that go through the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. See below notice on LPASC website. 
>  
> LPASC Mandate
> 
> LPASC was established under the Local Planning Appeal Support Centre Act, 2017, with the mandate to:
> establish and administer a cost-effective and efficient system for providing support services to eligible individuals with respect to matters governed by the Planning Act that are under the jurisdiction of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal
> establish policies and priorities for support services based on its financial resources, and
> provide services that include: 
> information on land use planning
> guidance on Tribunal procedures
> advice or representation
> other services prescribed by regulations
>  Important Notice to Clients and Stakeholders
> The Government of Ontario has made a decision to close the Local Planning Appeal Support Centre (LPASC).  LPASC has until June 30, 2019 to wind down the business.
> Effective immediately, LPASC will no longer be accepting new requests for professional services from the public.  During this wind down period, LPASC is committed to continuing to serve, to the best of its ability, those clients who have retained its services. LPASC staff will be in contact with those clients with further details shortly.
> If you have any questions, please send an email to info at lpasc.ca <mailto:info at lpasc.ca> or call 1-800-993-8410.
> 
> ------------------------------
> John Jackson
> 17 Major Street
> Kitchener N2H 4R1
> 519-744-7503
>  
>  
> 
>  
>> On Feb 26, 2019, at 10:01 AM, strothjkl at sympatico.ca <mailto:strothjkl at sympatico.ca> wrote:
>>  
>> Thanks Susan.  Please add to the agenda whether GREN should do anything about protesting the Ford gov.’t abrupt ending of the Ontario Municipal Board, now called The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, LPAT, an important democratic tool for everyone other than government to fight development applications. I sent an email about this to GREN back on Sat. Feb. 23rd but haven’t heard much talk about this. I don’t understand why this isn’t in the news and being talked about more...this is huge, isn’t it? As usual it was pushed through at the end of a Friday on a long weekend so they were hoping it wouldn’t be noticed..and it almost looks like they succeeded. Does anyone have any opinions on this..I know it gets tiresome..all the work fighting Bill 66, and now this..it’s hard to mount the energy to fight issue after issue. But I think this is really important to speak out against. 
>>  
>> The story of Ford cutting the OMB: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/02/22/news/doug-ford-shuts-service-helps-ontario-citizens-fight-wealthy-developers <https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/02/22/news/doug-ford-shuts-service-helps-ontario-citizens-fight-wealthy-developers>
>>  
>> The Ontario Municipal Board was established in 1906, and some sources say even earlier, as an important public tribunal for planning and development disputes. It has been around for a long time -over 112 years+!!  and plays an important role and should not be allowed to just be slashed by Doug Ford.   History of the OMB: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_Municipal_Board <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_Municipal_Board>
>>  
>> It’s where you can go if someone wants to build a 20 storey apartment building beside your house, or a farmer gets notice that someone is going to infringe on his/her land with an adjacent development, perhaps involving pollution and noise. 
>>  
>>  
>> How and why it was recently overhauled to be more fair by the Wynn’s Liberals at the public’s request:
>> https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/omb-planning-appeal-tribunal-development-1.4595608 <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/omb-planning-appeal-tribunal-development-1.4595608>
>> The LPAT’s homepage now: http://elto.gov.on.ca/tribunals/lpat/about-lpat/ <http://elto.gov.on.ca/tribunals/lpat/about-lpat/>
>> As far as I know Ontario cities and Regions also would go to the OMB in the past to get a decisions on many development issues, so this will be closed to them also. I remember over the years, working on many environmental issues with all 3 cities, the Region, and townships, that they would often be involved with the OMB. Obviously this is a way for Ford to block and reduce opposition to development proposals such as the proposed  glass plant that wanted to use over a million litres of water per day between Guelph and Cambridge. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/residents-try-to-block-proposed-glass-plant-near-guelph-1.4731971 <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/residents-try-to-block-proposed-glass-plant-near-guelph-1.4731971>
>> Under Ford, there would be less options to fight such environmentally-damaging things. 
>> 
>> I want to contact CBC-KW radio to talk about this issue. Does anyone feel knowledgeable and angry about this to speak to it, if they ask me if I know anyone they could talk to about why this is abhorrent? 
>> 
>> Thanks
>> 
>> Lori Strothard
>> 
>> Waterloo
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> 
>> On Feb 26, 2019, at 9:12 AM, Susan Koswan <susankoswan at execulink.com <mailto:susankoswan at execulink.com>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi GRENers,
>>> 
>>> Thought I'd share this as concerns have been raised from Steckle Farm - the widening of Bleams from 2 to 4 lanes could impact their centuries old artesian well that feeds their animals and crops, and it could mean removing some of the heritage stone wall in front of the property. I'm not able to attend the public meeting on Wed, Feb 27 from 5 - 8 pm, so hoping someone from GREN can.
>>> 
>>> https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=413f8417-748b-42fa-85f4-67958bd71fac&fbclid=IwAR25bg1wDiHqyfFNqThcaiCVd37tCiN2y0Y2aZQUELmLdeOm6cQwkHC0NP8 <https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=413f8417-748b-42fa-85f4-67958bd71fac&fbclid=IwAR25bg1wDiHqyfFNqThcaiCVd37tCiN2y0Y2aZQUELmLdeOm6cQwkHC0NP8>
>>> 
>>> Best,
>>> 
>>> Susan K
>>> 
>>> 
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