[All] Regional Reversals, Forced Boundary Reversals, Latest Auditor General Reporting, ERO Dec 16th Deadline, and Bill 23 Update

Fri Dec 15 18:28:59 EST 2023

Good Day,

The reversals continue at Queen’s Park with lots to report despite the Legislature already adjourned for the winter break:

1) Region of Peel Dissolution Cancelled and MZO’s Under Review - Doug Ford’s provincial government has been forced to backtrack again and has announced that they won’t be proceeding with the Hazel McCallion Act to break up Peel Region.  In another significant loss of face for this government, the Premier is backtracking on his deathbed promise to former Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion as it turns out the economic cost and loss of efficiencies as well as the high level of services currently enjoyed by Peel residents just could not be maintained in any future scenario of Brampton, Caledon, and Mississauga trying to go it alone on waste, water, emergency services, and other things that have been regionalized over the past 50 years.

This backtracking by the province will have significant impacts for Waterloo Region, Halton Region, Niagara Region, and the other upper-tier regions across Ontario that are currently part of a provincial review underway to find efficiencies and ways to build housing faster.  In the end, the province has done nothing to facilitate housing with this attempted dissolution of Peel Region and the uncertainty it has caused has created havoc with an exodus of much needed employees from the Regional government while also hampering economic and business development.

Minister Calandra also announced that it is proposing to revoke 8 MZO’s and is reviewing 14 other MZO’s in more dramatic reversals of these very undemocratic planning decisions.  It seems that many of the individuals involved in the Greenbelt Scandal, Las Vegas trips, and other concerning activities were also involved in these MZO’s including the large Smart Centres MZO in Cambridge, Ontario.

Province further announced that it is also cancelling the absurd audits of six municipalities originally announced to find efficiencies and determine if local governments are facing a revenue shortfall as a result of a provincial law that dramatically reduced development charges.

	The Toronto Star - Ford Scraps Plan To Break Up Peel Region:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-scraps-plan-to-break-up-peel-region/article_53ac0d16-99cb-11ee-946f-3b90a5ed79bf.html

	CBC - Ontario Abandoning Plans To Dissolve Peel Region:
	https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/peel-region-paul-calandra-1.7057628

	The Trillium - Ford Government Proposes To Revoke 8 MZO’s, To Monitor 14 More:
	https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/housing/ford-government-cancelling-peel-dissolution-municipal-audits-mzos-may-be-next-7976941

2) Reporter Cynthia Mulligan Calls Out Government - In yet another astounding press conference of reversals by Minister Paul Calandra, Global Television Reporter Cynthia Mulligan perhaps said it best when she asked Minister Calandra “Does your government think before it acts?”. 

It is an incredible question for a reporter to be asking but it so accurately sums up the ineffectiveness of this government that has continually acted with little consultation or engagement of the public, municipalities, First Nations, and even often its own ministry staff while also bypassing all proper processes that would have likely shown why so many of these poorly conceived ideas and approaches should have never been implemented in the first place.

	Mike Crawley @CBCQueens Park - After listing off a litany of Ford government reversals and backtracks Global Reporter asks “Does your government think before it acts?”:
	https://twitter.com/cbcqueenspark/status/1735009801275322503?s=61&t=xTU_ywoVg6KDzyU3BgRLaw

3) Auditor General Calls Out Ford Government For Lack of Public Consultations - In an excellent, detailed article the Narwhal is reporting that the Auditor General has concluded that the Ford government is regularly violating the public’s right to comment and is downplaying environmental risks.  Read more about what we have been experiencing firsthand for years and that the Auditor General is confirming:

	The Narwhal - Doug Ford Says He’s “For The People” - A Watchdog Says His Government Shuts Them Out Of Decision-Making:
	https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-auditor-general-public-input/ <https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-auditor-general-public-input/?utm_source=The+Narwhal&utm_campaign=b18d9b7387-Dec.+6%2C+2023+%E2%80%94+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f6a05fddb8-b18d9b7387-108708480>

4) Environmental Groups Celebrate End of Hamilton Boundary Case - Ecojustice and Environmental Defence have ended their legal case against the province regarding the Forced Boundary Expansions as the province has backtracked, cancelled the Forced Boundary Expansions, and numerous communities such as Hamilton, Wellesley Township and Centre Wellington Township have made clear to the province their desire to stick with their visionary Official Plans now currently re-instated and back in force as they were originally approved last summer.  This is a huge victory for the citizens of Hamilton and these other communities that have worked so hard for these sustainable plans for the future with minimal farmland loss and a focus on complete communities, intensification, and public transit to help ensure that we achieve climate commitments.

Unfortunately, other communities such as Kitchener, North Dumfries Township, and Wilmot Township have requested these absurd Forced Boundary Expansions be re-instated - more details in Section 5 and 6 below.

	Ecojustice - Environmental Groups Celebrate End Of Hamilton Boundary Case:
	https://ecojustice.ca/news/environmental-groups-celebrate-end-of-hamilton-boundary-case/

5) BILD Releases New Report - The housing developer association BILD has released an overwhelming report that at well over 200 pages was so large they had to release it in two 50mb PDF’s.  The confusing report seems to try to overwhelm the reader with so much background and boilerplate information that it hopes to obscure the erroneous assumptions that the entire report is premised on - trying once again to convince people there is a land shortage in the province when it is clear that there are massive inventories of already approved lands.

Quite simply they are claiming that the Forced Boundary Expansions are needed across the province because previous greenfield home sales are below historical numbers creating a “shortfall” regardless of the fact that most people can’t afford $1million+ distant urban sprawl homes and may actually prefer to live in higher density, walkable communites.

It is likely that the provincial government will try to use this highly flawed report as justification to re-enable Forced Boundary Expansions in communities that have requested they be re-instated in the months ahead.  

	BILD - Greater Toronto & Hamilton Area, Simcoe County, Barrie, Orillia & Waterloo Region Land Supply Analysis Part 1 and Part 2:
	https://www.bildgta.ca/news-resources/industry-reports/
The Ontario Home Builders Association has also released an unusual letter calling on the government not to invoke immunity on itself for the Greenbelt, Forced Boundary, and MZO scandals saying that the government isn’t above the law.  They are also encouraging the government to approve the Forced Boundary expansions:

	https://www.vmcdn.ca/files/trillium/images/ohba-submission-bill-150-ero-019-7885.pdf

Finally, it seems that builders aren’t happy with the unprecedented apology from Minister Calandra or any of the recent reversals of the provincial government:

	The Toronto Star - Doug Ford’s Housing Minister Apologizes To Developers For Greenbelt Fiasco:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-fords-housing-minister-apologizes-to-developers-for-greenbelt-fiasco/article_59576af2-9837-11ee-841e-83075dd80840.html
	“Of 7,400 acres slated to be removed from the Greenbelt, 6,129 are owned by De Gasperis”…

	The Toronto Star - Builders Slam Ford Government for “No Coherent” Housing Plan:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/builders-slam-ford-government-for-no-coherent-housing-plan/article_3107a46c-9a90-11ee-8a3c-ef53961588ca.html

6) Final Day Tomorrow - December 16th For ERO Comments - Despite the provincial government passing Bill 150, the Planning Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023 on December 5th just before the Legislature was adjourned, before even all municipalities had responded to the Minister by his December 7th deadline, and before even the ERO comment period was set to close on December 16th, there is still the need and opportunity for citizens to speak up, express our concerns, and advocate directly to MMAH Staff to not implement these Forced Boundary Expansion requests.  

In the past MMAH Staff had expressed they would only consider reversals needed to meet 2031 housing targets which none of the municipalities requesting these thousands of acres of development have been able to demonstrate.

	ERO - Planning Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023 - deadline Dec 16th at 11:59pm
	https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-7885

	MMAH Staff are requesting you e-mail your comments directly to them at:
	mmahofficialplans at ontario.ca <mailto:mmahofficialplans at ontario.ca>

There are thousands of acres of farmland at risk of unnecessary destruction here.  Sustainable Official Plans are now back in place and we need to ensure that these municipal requests for tainted lands with none of the proper processes or studies are not implemented.  Please speak up against this astounding land grab!

7) Guelph Employment Lands Conversion - At the December 5th Guelph Council Meeting, Guelph Council voted to convert 64 acres of employment lands to residential, potentially creating future water issues while also setting a terrible precedent for employment land conversions.  The Wellington Water Watchers have created a great online submission tool for you to speak up and tell Council these are not the sustainable solutions we need for the future:

	https://www.wellingtonwaterwatchers.ca/no_more_false_solutions_for_the_housing_crisis

	Guelph Today - Council Decision Could Impact City’s Water Supply:
	https://www.guelphtoday.com/letters-to-the-editor/letter-council-decision-could-impact-citys-water-supply-7954968
	This  is a great Letter to the Editor from Mike Marcolongo, reminding us that we all should be writing more to our local media.

8) SC Johnson Issues in Brantford - Issues continue with another troubling employment land conversion this one in Brantford that could cause leading employer SC Johnson to have to close and leave town.  Here are some of the recent media stories including the appointment of a facilitator by Minister Calandra:

	CTV News - SC Johnson May Leave Brantford:
	https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/sc-johnson-may-leave-brantford-over-zoning-dispute-1.6538624

	Brantford Expositor - SC Johnson Could Invest $30 Million If Lands Remain Industrial:
	https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/local-news/sc-johnson-could-invest-upwards-of-30-million-in-brantford-if-adjacent-land-remains-industrial

	Brantford Expositor - Provincial Facilitator Appointed to SC Johnson Case:
	https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/local-news/facilitator-appointed-in-sc-johnson-land-impasse

9) Recent Media Articles - Lots of news coverage continues this week with stories on Forced Boundary Expansions, the Peel Region dissolution, and Halton Hills turning down a Gas Plant resoundingly:

	The Record - Cambridge Council Endorses Mayor’s Request To Province For More Housing Land:
	https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/cambridge-council-endorses-mayors-request-to-province-for-more-housing-land/article_6b7ad7a0-52a8-56b0-94e4-a5fcf0d43b44.html

	The Toronto Star - The Shifting Winds Of Ford’s Ontario:
	https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/don-t-like-the-political-weather-in-doug-ford-s-ontario-wait-five-minutes/article_ef05e766-9514-11ee-8e7e-8b5c570c9ca4.html

	The Guelph Mercury Tribune - Non-profit Wants To Build Hundreds Of Affordable Homes In South Guelph:
	https://www.guelphmercury.com/news/council/non-profit-wants-to-build-hundreds-of-affordable-homes-in-south-guelph/article_e308d060-eda7-5d29-a59b-ffedf9b2cef5.html

	TVO - Doug Ford Has No Excuse For Sticker Shock When It Comes To Dissolving Peel Region:  Why Did It Take So Long To Crunch The Numbers?:
	https://www.tvo.org/article/doug-ford-has-no-excuse-for-sticker-shock-when-it-comes-to-dissolving-peel-region

	Guelph Today - Lesson Of The Week From Council - Two Wrongs Make A Right:
	https://www.guelphtoday.com/columns/market-squared-by-adam-a-donaldson/lesson-of-the-week-from-council-two-wrongs-make-a-right-7943771

	Global News - Ford Government Quizzing Cities To Find Out Which MZO’s Aren’t Progressing:
	https://globalnews.ca/news/10165404/ford-government-mzo-progress/

	Halton Hills Votes Against Contentious Power Plant Expansion:
	https://www.haltonhillstoday.ca/local-news/halton-hills-council-votes-against-contentious-power-plant-expansion-7957450

	The Toronto Star - I Would Feel Both Betrayed And Abandoned: Halton Hills Rejects Gas Plant:
	https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/i-would-feel-both-betrayed-and-abandoned-halton-hills-rejects-new-gas-plant/article_0f05d478-9834-11ee-8b6e-738da3024524.html

	The Toronto Star - The Liberals Are Reviving A WWII Plan To Ease The Housing Crisis:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/the-liberals-are-reviving-a-wwii-plan-to-ease-the-housing-crisis-heres-what-that/article_eed9223a-9924-11ee-8ef7-7f68086d6aa2.html

	The Toronto Star - Builders Slam Ford Government for “No Coherent” Housing Plan:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/builders-slam-ford-government-for-no-coherent-housing-plan/article_3107a46c-9a90-11ee-8a3c-ef53961588ca.html

10) Troubling Belwood Subdivisions - Thanks to Laura for bringing to our attention plans for large rural subdivisions without proper servicing.  It has been feared that developers would take advantage of the current housing crisis and provincial governments desperation to get anything built, anywhere by proposing large rural subdivisions on septic systems.  These distant communities are a climate change nightmare creating distant, car dependant urban sprawl developments on prime farmland with few local shops, services, or jobs - clogging rural roads with commuter traffic and creating massive carbon footprints while also threatening rural water supplies with sewage and drinking water systems that have proven extremely problematic and expensive in the past.

Citizens in these communities need to be speaking up and demanding more sustainable solutions, better land-use, and higher quality complete communities:

	Guelph Today - 107 Unit Subdivision Proposed for Belwood Area:
	https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/107-unit-subdivision-proposed-for-belwood-area-7953123

11) Woolwich Sustainability Officer - It has been fantastic to see the efforts underway for several years now to see a position created in Woolwich Township to lead on sustainability and climate change initiatives such as Green Development Standards, programs for township residents, etc.:

	Woolwich Observer - Woolwich Should Reconsider Climate-Action Position:
	https://www.observerxtra.com/woolwich-should-reconsider-climate-action-position/

Other municipalities can learn from these efforts and perhaps there could even be a way for municipalities to share resources and create collaborative positions.

12) ALO Building Hope Webinar - Helping Secure Your Financial Future By Building Missing Middle Housing - Continuing the very successful Alliance for a Liveable Ontario (ALO) Building Hope Webinar Series, the latest webinar on helping to secure your financial future by building an addition, laneway house or garden suite has now been posted online.  Check it out if you weren’t able to attend the original webinar:

	ALO Webinar - Missing Middle Housing Recording:
	https://www.liveableontario.ca/alliance-resources/building-hope-webinar-3-helping-secure-your-financial-future-by-building-missing-middle-housing

13) Other Relevant News: Renewable Energy and Highway #413 are issues that we need to be paying attention to:

	The Toronto Star - For The First Time Since Doug Ford Became Premier, Ontairo Will Build Renewable Energy Sources:
	https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/for-the-first-time-since-doug-ford-became-premier-ontario-will-build-renewable-energy-sources/article_425bde28-985f-11ee-8028-cbfa30a2c747.html

	The Toronto Star - Ontario Steps Up Fight Against Ottawa In Push To Build Highway #413:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/ontario-steps-up-fight-against-ottawa-in-push-to-build-highway-413/article_08df6de6-9854-11ee-919d-737e5f9fc650.html

14) Local Greenbelt Celebrations - Waterloo Area - Deferred to January - Given the intense recent efforts with local municipalities on the Forced Boundary Expansions it has been decided to post-pone the Waterloo Area celebrations until January when it will be combined with a strategic planning meeting to help chart a course for the year ahead.  Watch for more information soon.

15) Reminder - Next Meeting - Join us Friday, January 12th at 5:30pm to discuss the latest news and what’s next:

	Topic: Grand River Watershed Bill 23 Bi-Weekly Zoom Meeting
	Time: Every Other Friday at 5:30pm EST

	Join Zoom Meeting
	https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

	Meeting ID: 826 4469 5701
	Passcode: 713374

Thanks for all the great efforts so far - please share any questions or ideas.

Cheers,
Kevin Thomason and Mike Marcolongo on behalf of all our community groups.

-----------------------------------
A) Upcoming Events

Friday, December 15th - 8pm to 9pm - Final Climate Emergency Vigil - Waterloo Public Square - https://www.faithclimatejustice.ca/climate-vigils.html

Saturday, December 16th - Final day to comment on ERO Deadline to the Planning Act Statute Law Amendment Act  - https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-7885

Friday, January 12th - 5:30pm - Next update meeting on Zoom - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

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B) Speak Up On The ERO To Stop The Forced Urban Boundry Expansions

https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-7885

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C) OHBA Letter To Provincial Government:

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D) 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
Paul Calandra - Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing - paul.calandra at pc.ola.org <mailto:steve.clark at pc.ola.org> or 416-585-7000
Andrea Khanjin - Minster of Environment, Conservation and Parks - andrea.khanjin at pc.ola.org <mailto:andrea.khanjin at pc.ola.org> or 705-722-0575
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>

Local Conservative MPPs:
Mike Harris Jr - MPP Kitchener-Conestoga - mike.harris at pc.ola.org <mailto:mike.harris at pc.ola.org> or 519-669-2090
Brian Riddell - MPP Cambridge - brian.riddell at pc.ola.org <mailto:brian.riddell at pc.ola.org> or 519-650-2770
Jess Dixon - MPP Kitchener South - jess.dixon at pc.ola.org <mailto:jess.dixon at pc.ola.org> or 519-650-9413
Will Bouma - MPP Brantford-Brant - will.bouma at pc.ola.org <mailto:will.bouma at pc.ola.org> or (519) 759-0361
Ted Arnott - MPP Wellington-Halton Hills - ted.arnott at pc.ola.org <mailto:ted.arnott at pc.ola.org> or (519) 787-5247
Ernie Hardeman - MPP Oxford - ernie.hardeman at pc.ola.org <mailto:ernie.hardeman at pc.ola.org> or (519) 537-5222
Matthew Rae - MPP Perth-Wellington - matthew.rae at pc.ola.org <mailto:matthew.rae at pc.ola.org> or (519) 272-0660

Local NDP MPPs:
Catherine Fife - MPP Waterloo - cfife-qp at ndp.on.ca <mailto:cfife-qp at ndp.on.ca> or 519-725-3477

Local Green Party MPPs:
Mike Schreiner - MPP Guelph - mschreiner at ola.org <mailto:mschreiner at ola.org> or (519) 836-4190
New! - Aislinn Clancy - MPP Kitchener Centre - new contact information coming soon

Independent MPPs:
Bobbi Ann Brady - MPP Haldimand-Norfolk - babrady-co at ola.org <mailto:babrady-co at ola.org> or (519) 428-0446

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

Kevin Thomason
Vice-Chair, Grand River Environmental Network
www.gren.ca <http://www.gren.ca/>

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