[All] ERO Deadline - 11:59pm Tonight - Official Plans and Bill 23

Wed Jan 4 15:31:24 EST 2023

I hope that everyone’s new year is off to a good start.  There continues to be a lot happening including some pending deadlines:

1) Official Plan ERO Comment Deadlines - We need to ensure as many positive comments are received by the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) on the bold and visionary Region of Waterloo Official Plan as well as other area plans such as the Wellington County Official Plan.  We only have until 11:59pm tonight (January 4th) to urge the province to approve these plans as approved by local municipalities and without any changes by the Minister such as the massive amounts of sprawl Minister Clark has forced in Halton and Hamilton’s Official Plans:

	Region of Waterloo - https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-5952 <https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-5952>
	County of Wellington - https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-5635 <https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-5635>

It’s an easy process to submit comments and please encourage others to submit comments as well.  

Group member Kae Elgie has drafted an excellent e-mail that she has sent to her friends and family that can serve as a template for all of us.  With her permission I am sharing it here and urge you to use it to encourage others to speak up as well:

Thanks for all your help last year to stop 4,330 acres (1752 hectares) of Waterloo Region farmland from being paved over.* 
Thanks to your letters, phone calls, emails to Regional Councillors, Regional Council almost unanimously** voted for a Regional Official Plan that will save the Countryside Line, stop urban sprawl, and help us fight climate change by reducing traffic emissions.

But Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, could undo all that.
We have until 11:59pm on Wednesday January 4, to stop him.

Just click this link https://ero.ontario.ca/user/login?action=comment&destination=/comment/reply/node/9322/comment <https://ero.ontario.ca/user/login?action=comment&destination=/comment/reply/node/9322/comment>
And post a comment on the Environmental Registry of Ontario 
saying
Please approve Waterloo Region's Official Plan Amendment 6.

You can add to your comment why this matters to you, e.g.
because I save money by buying locally produced food
because my family is healthier from eating food grown locally, by people I can know and trust
because building inside the city limits will mean people don't have to drive everywhere and can save money they'd otherwise have to spend on gas
because it respects the citizens of Waterloo Region: all but one of our 17 elected representatives voted for the Regional Official Plan Amendment 6.
because it fights climate change. It will reduce traffic emissions, the biggest source of greenhouse gases in Waterloo Region
You don't have to log in.  You can just click this link <https://ero.ontario.ca/user/login?action=comment&destination=/comment/reply/node/9322/comment> (https://ero.ontario.ca/user/login?action=comment&destination=/comment/reply/node/9322/comment) and post your comment.

Thank you so much. Our children and grandchildren will thank us too.
Kae Elgie

If just thinking about what Steve Clark could do makes you mad, you may wish to sign holdtheline's letter <https://act.holdthelinewr.org/> (www.holdthelinewr.org) to Doug Ford and other cabinet ministers. Maybe one of them will get the message?
We can only try.
https://act.holdthelinewr.org <https://act.holdthelinewr.org/>

*If the Region had followed the Province's planning guidelines, 5656 acres of farmland would have been lost forever. Regional Official Plan Amendment 6 reduced the farmland loss to 1126 acres. And ROPA 6  will be better for the environment besides.
** only Michael Harris voted against it. Should Steve Clark give more credit to one vote than 16 others???

2) Recent Media Articles - Well written and informative articles, editorials and op-ed pieces continue in the media.  Please continue to write and help to inform others:

	https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/12/30/thousands-voice-protest-to-greenbelt-development-but-its-infrastructure-issues-that-could-delay-builders.html

	An excellent article about the Bill 23 impacts in the City of Waterloo - https://www.waterloochronicle.ca/news-story/10816500--highly-consequential-waterloo-to-consider-project-deferrals-to-manage-financial-impact-of-bill-23/

3) Radio Coverage - Our radio team continues to get information out on the air.  Our Bill 23, Greenbelt and Official Plan commercials continue to air on area stations and thanks to Jeff Stager, Henriette Thompson and Tanya Gevaert for a great radio show on CKMS this past Friday that is now airing on CFRU as well.  It’s a casual, informal program with some great Canadian music and information about these issues.  You can listen to the one hour show online at:

	Radio Show - Community Connections - CKMS - 102.7 FM
	https://radiowaterloo.ca/storage/track/?resource=CCC+221230+stop+bill23+Kevin+and+Henriette+.mp3 <https://radiowaterloo.ca/storage/track/?resource=CCC+221230+stop+bill23+Kevin+and+Henriette+.mp3>

	Radio Show - The Breezy Breakfast Hour - CKRU - 93.3 FM
	https://breezybreakfastradiohour.podbean.com/e/special-episode-on-bill-23-and-the-greenbelt/

4) Online Resources - Kudo’s to Hal Jaeger and the Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood Association who have built the most impressive list of information, resources, and articles about Bill 23, Bill 39, the Greenbelt and Regional Planning issues in the province at:

	 https://oldeberlintown.ca/information-about-proposed-bill-23/

5) Fantastic Submission and Synopsis - Congratulations to Ontario Nature and Environmental Defence who on very short notice on the holidays pulled together and excellent submission to the ERO on the PPS and Places to Grow Act.  We have attached it below as it is well worth reading and referring to in the future.

6) Greenbelt Guardians - For those interested in becoming more active and involved in protecting the Greenbelt in a firsthand manner as a Greenbelt Guardian there is a volunteer form you can fill out to learn more and offer assistance:

	https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgAUNoxc1aD8wHiMtT7D5F95gS629lXap7V7QBve3rai15ig/viewform <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgAUNoxc1aD8wHiMtT7D5F95gS629lXap7V7QBve3rai15ig/viewform>

7) Meeting This Friday - A reminder of our next update meeting this Friday, January 6th at 5:30pm - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09 <https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09>

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

Wednesday, January 4th - 11:59pm - Deadline for submissions to the Environmental Registry of Ontario for Region of Waterloo and Wellington County Official Plans:
	Region of Waterloo - https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-5952 <https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-5952>
	County of Wellington - https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-5635 <https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-5635>

Friday, January  6th - 5:30pm - Update Zoom Call - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09 <https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09>

Wednesday, January 28th - Enough is Enough Provincial events against Doug Ford - https://ofl.ca/event/eie-kickoff/ <https://ofl.ca/event/eie-kickoff/>

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

B) Detailed Submission to Waterloo ROP ERO - use this document to help inform your own submissions prior to January 4th.

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

C) Ontario Nature and Environmental Defence ERO submission on the PPS and Places to Grow Act:

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

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
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.piccini 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>

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

Local NDP MPPs:
Catherine Fife - MPP Waterloo - cfife-qp at ndp.on.ca <mailto:cfife-qp at ndp.on.ca> or 519-725-3477
Laura Mae Lindo - MPP Kitchener Centre - llindo-qp at ndp.on.ca <mailto:llindo-qp at ndp.on.ca> or 519-579-5460

Or use the Hold The Line Waterloo Region engagement engine to automatically address and send an e-mail you help to draft: www.holdthelinewr.org <http://www.holdthelinewr.org/>

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

Kevin Thomason
Vice-Chair, Grand River Environmental Network

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

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

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/all_gren.ca/attachments/20230104/b43fe4a5/attachment-0003.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: ERO Submission to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs - Region of Waterloo Official Plan Amendment No 6 - October 20 2022 - by K Eby - K Thomason - M Reusser.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 1587449 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/all_gren.ca/attachments/20230104/b43fe4a5/attachment-0002.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/all_gren.ca/attachments/20230104/b43fe4a5/attachment-0004.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: ERO 019-6177 PPS & Growth Plan submission.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 572168 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/all_gren.ca/attachments/20230104/b43fe4a5/attachment-0003.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/all_gren.ca/attachments/20230104/b43fe4a5/attachment-0005.html>