[All] Bill 23, Greenbelt, ROP Group Update - Sunday

Sun Nov 13 20:24:19 EST 2022

Good evening,

It’s been a busy weekend and it is fantastic to see everything that is underway to stand up to the province and speak out for our communities.  Specifically:

1) One Pager E-mail/Overview - Kae Elgie and the copywriting team has circulated initial drafts and is hard at work to come up with the impactful messaging that we need.

2) Lawn Signs - Mike Marcolongo has his team including folks from the Water Watchers have been working on lawn signs with the graphic designer already completing several different designs and the version that has been chosen (attached below) going to the printers tomorrow.  It was decided to focus on the Greenbelt messaging since it impacts everyone and calls out the dishonestly/integrity of Premier Doug Ford.  There may still be the opportunity/need to do lawn signs focussed on the Waterloo Regional Official Plan issues as well.

3) Radio Ads - Our radio team is meeting at 8pm on Monday night, though already Tanya and Jeff have been working on and even testing Public Service Announcements on the air.  The Small Change Fund is willing to co-ordinate fundraising, book all our media as a bulk buy with other ads, and match all donations received up to $7,500 which would double our impact and give us a budget of $15,000 which would go a long way to blanketing this part of the province with impactful ads.  Please let me know if you or your organization is able to contribute and I can provide further instructions.  Tax deductible receipts are available for individual donations.

4) Protests - A graphic detailing the three protests in our area this coming Wednesday is below.  Please promote this widely and plan to join us on Wednesday.  There was a fantastic Pop Up Protest in Hamilton today.  Here’s a strong video about it that you can watch and share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiYU7LP6oXw <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiYU7LP6oXw>

5) Community Engagement - the folks at Hold the Line Waterloo Region are in the process of getting the automatic e-mail machine working with the first drafts already done.  This will allow us to direct people to a website and send an e-mail to numerous politicians with just one click.  There is the ability to edit the letter you send as desired.  We’ll keep you posted as soon as it is ready.

6) Social Media - we still need people willing to help on Social Media and spread the word.  Environmental Defence has made available a whole bunch of graphics and other materials that you can share online at: https://yourstoprotect.ca/hands-off-the-greenbelt-digital-materials/ <https://yourstoprotect.ca/hands-off-the-greenbelt-digital-materials/>

7) Public Relations and Media Team - we need a team of people to work with our local media, educating them about these issues, building awareness, and encouraging them to write/broadcast about it.  Anyone who has any media contacts or PR knowledge please let me know and we can start the needed outreach.

8) Recent Articles - Here’s some media coverage from this weekend.  Particularly disturbing is the CBC Article showing developers buying millions of dollars of protected Greenbelt Lands in the past year that now magically is going to be removed from the Greenbelt:

	https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/gta-developers-own-greenbelt-land-swap-1.6648273 <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/gta-developers-own-greenbelt-land-swap-1.6648273>

	https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-housing-hamilton-halton/ <https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-housing-hamilton-halton/>

	https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/11/12/doug-fords-broken-greenbelt-promise-tells-youth-theres-no-point-in-voting.html <https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/11/12/doug-fords-broken-greenbelt-promise-tells-youth-theres-no-point-in-voting.html>

	https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/10760671--cutting-an-onion-with-a-chainsaw-york-region-slams-ontario-s-bill-23/ <https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/10760671--cutting-an-onion-with-a-chainsaw-york-region-slams-ontario-s-bill-23/>

Please share any questions or ideas and lets do all that we can defeat these attacks and ensure the best possible future for our communities!

Cheers,
Kevin.

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1) Pop Up Protests - Wed, November 16th - bring a friend, have fun making some signs, and join us!

2) Chosen design for lawn signs:

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Dates to Remember:

Wednesday, November 16th - Pop Up Protests 9am at Ted Arnott's Office in Fergus, 9am at Mike Harris Jr’s Office in Elmira, 1pm at Will Bouma’s Office in Brantford

Friday, November 18th - 5:30pm - Next group Zoom Update/Planning Meeting - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09 <https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09>

Sunday, December 4th - Deadline for submissions to the Environmental Registry of Ontario - https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6216 <https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6216>

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Speak Up and Ensure Your Voice is Heard:

Premier Doug Ford - doug.fordco at pc.ola.org <mailto:doug.fordco at pc.ola.org> or 416-325-1941
Steve Clark - Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing - steve.clark at pc.ola.org <mailto:steve.clark at pc.ola.org> or 416-585-7214
David Piccini - Minster of Environment, Conservation and Parks - david.paccini at pc.ola.org <mailto:david.paccini at pc.ola.org> or 905-372-4000
Todd Smith - Minister of Energy - todd.smith at pc.ola.org <mailto:todd.smith at pc.ola.org> or 613-962-1144
Michael Parsa - Associate Minister of Housing - michael.parsaco at pc.ola.org <mailto:michael.parsaco at pc.ola.org>

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Resources:

- Association of Municipalities of Ontario – Unpacking Bill 23 <https://www.amo.on.ca/advocacy/health-human-services/unpacking-bill-23-more-homes-built-faster-act-2022> - 

	https://www.amo.on.ca/advocacy/health-human-services/unpacking-bill-23-more-homes-built-faster-act-2022

- Implications for planning at the municipal level: “Forget everything you thought you knew about planning approvals in Ontario…” <https://www.osler.com/en/resources/regulations/2022/forget-everything-you-thought-you-knew-about-planning-approvals-in-ontario%E2%80%A6>
	https://www.osler.com/en/resources/regulations/2022/forget-everything-you-thought-you-knew-about-planning-approvals-in-ontario…

- Environmental Defence provides a detailed analysis here <https://environmentaldefence.ca/2022/10/31/ontarios-housing-bill-is-actually-a-trojan-horse-for-environmentally-catastrophic-rural-sprawl/> of how "Ontario’s Housing Bill is Actually a Trojan Horse for Environmentally Catastrophic Rural Sprawl” 

	https://environmentaldefence.ca/2022/10/31/ontarios-housing-bill-is-actually-a-trojan-horse-for-environmentally-catastrophic-rural-sprawl/ <https://environmentaldefence.ca/2022/10/31/ontarios-housing-bill-is-actually-a-trojan-horse-for-environmentally-catastrophic-rural-sprawl/>

- The Ontario Headwaters Institute calls out the need for Ontario to withdraw Bill 23 and shift to sustainable planning <https://act.newmode.net/action/ontario-headwaters-institute/ontario-must-withdraw-bill-23-and-shift-sustainable-planning>
	https://act.newmode.net/action/ontario-headwaters-institute/ontario-must-withdraw-bill-23-and-shift-sustainable-planning <https://act.newmode.net/action/ontario-headwaters-institute/ontario-must-withdraw-bill-23-and-shift-sustainable-planning>

- Bill 23 destroys existing affordable housing and builds more luxury condos. Scrap it now! <https://acorncanada.org/take_action/doug-fords-bill-23-destroys-existing-affordable-housing-builds-more-luxury-condos-scrap-it-now/> By ACORN Canada

	https://acorncanada.org/take_action/doug-fords-bill-23-destroys-existing-affordable-housing-builds-more-luxury-condos-scrap-it-now/ <https://acorncanada.org/take_action/doug-fords-bill-23-destroys-existing-affordable-housing-builds-more-luxury-condos-scrap-it-now/>

- Ottawa Citizen "With new 'More Homes' legislation, the province could knock down municipal efforts to create and protect affordable housing <https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawa-has-been-working-on-bylaws-to-address-renovictions-and-require-developers-to-provide-affordable-housing-now-the-ontario-government-is-stepping-in>"

	https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawa-has-been-working-on-bylaws-to-address-renovictions-and-require-developers-to-provide-affordable-housing-now-the-ontario-government-is-stepping-in <https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawa-has-been-working-on-bylaws-to-address-renovictions-and-require-developers-to-provide-affordable-housing-now-the-ontario-government-is-stepping-in>

 - The Record (Editorial View) "Ontario's housing plan needs work <https://www.therecord.com/opinion/editorials/2022/11/01/ontarios-housing-plan-needs-work.html>"

	https://www.therecord.com/opinion/editorials/2022/11/01/ontarios-housing-plan-needs-work.html <https://www.therecord.com/opinion/editorials/2022/11/01/ontarios-housing-plan-needs-work.html>

- The Record (Opinion) "Bill 23 is the wrong way to get more homes built <https://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editors/2022/11/01/bill-23-is-the-wrong-way-to-get-more-homes-built.html?rf>”

	https://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editors/2022/11/01/bill-23-is-the-wrong-way-to-get-more-homes-built.html

- Website Resources:

	-  50x30WR Website Listing Resources - https://www.50by30wr.ca/events <https://www.50by30wr.ca/events>

	- Olde Berlin Town Website Listing Resources - https://oldeberlintown.ca/information-about-proposed-bill-23/

	- Yours to Protect Resources - https://yourstoprotect.ca/hands-off-the-greenbelt-digital-materials/

-------------------------------------

Kevin Thomason
Vice-Chair, Grand River Environmental Network

c/o 1115 Cedar Grove Road
Waterloo, Ontario Canada  N2J 3Z4

Phone: (519) 888-0519
Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648
Twitter: @kthomason
E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com

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