[All] Reminder 5:30pm Update Call Tonight (Friday, Jan 13th) - Bill 23, Greenbelt and Regional Planning

Fri Jan 13 09:55:24 EST 2023

Good Day,

A quick reminder of our update meeting tonight (Friday) at 5:30pm on Zoom at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09 <https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09>

Here’s some of the latest news:

1) Recent Media Articles - Good articles continue in the media.  Please think about how you can raise awareness:

	https://kitchener.citynews.ca/the-big-story/will-the-cops-or-the-courts-stop-doug-fords-greenbelt-plan-6360705

	https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/01/11/greenbelt-impact-ontario-billions-public-purse/?fbclid=IwAR0TOsj7XMlISAzjYz4eZffBLjleY8pEvUolfg35B9socbWZkpIqwlkYvMQ <https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/01/11/greenbelt-impact-ontario-billions-public-purse/?fbclid=IwAR0TOsj7XMlISAzjYz4eZffBLjleY8pEvUolfg35B9socbWZkpIqwlkYvMQ>

	50,000 homes = 100,000 more cars on Ontario roads…  Globe & Mail - https://www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/mobility/article-if-you-love-traffic-jams-youll-love-ontarios-plan-to-develop-the/

	Updated Narwhale Greenbelt Attack Overview Article: https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-greenbelt-plan-ford-housing/

	Fuselight has released a good animated video about the Greenbelt destruction - from @thefuselight:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZbW-y8zFRZjh5VHyE63yoRviLdiGp8lf/view

2) Council Watchdogs Needed - following the excellent idea of other parts of the province we are looking for volunteers across the Grand River Watershed to become a Council Watchdog and review your municipality agendas, council/committee meetings and flag items that relate to unnecessary sprawl and development.  Council Watchdogs look out for new threats to Greenbelt/protected areas and farmland, decisions incompatible with climate mitigation policies, tree removal, compromises to safe active transportation networks, unethical behaviour of elected officials and share this information back to us so we can all assist as required.

Please reply and let us know if you can be a Watchdog for your municipality.  We will also need Watchdogs for our upper tier governments as well as the GRCA.  

With many eyes watching over the months ahead hopefully we will have a clear picture of what is happening in our watershed and be able to react accordingly.

3) Rally’s and Protests - Numerous rallies and protests are being planned for the weeks ahead in Toronto including a Welcome Back February 21st meeting at Queen’s Park (details below).  We need to determine what our approach is going to be in our area.  It would be great if we could form a team of people interested in organizing simple Pop-Up rallies/events here over the weeks ahead.  Please let either Mike or I know if you would be interested in joining this team and seeing what sort of impact we can make.

4) MNRF Letter to Conservation Authorities -  Attached below is the letter from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to the Conservation Authorities directing them to start the process for the future disposition of conservation lands for development. 

5) Today’s Meeting - Friday, January 13th at 5:30pm Zoom Update Meeting Dial-in Details:

Topic: Grand River Watershed Bill 23 Weekly Zoom Meeting
Time: Fridays at 5:30pm EST

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

Meeting ID: 826 4469 5701
Passcode: 713374
One tap mobile
+17806660144,,82644695701#,,,,*713374# Canada
+12042727920,,82644695701#,,,,*713374# Canada

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.

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A) Upcoming Events

Friday, January 13th - 5:30pm - Update Zoom Call - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09 <https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09>

Tuesday, January 24th - 4:00pm - 1st Alliance for a Liveable Ontario Meeting -  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHngEQ_HTlayZ-kbdOinbBWX4tdK8EvcUD0Oq0QOmreXveog/viewform <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHngEQ_HTlayZ-kbdOinbBWX4tdK8EvcUD0Oq0QOmreXveog/viewform>

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

Monday, February 13th - 1:00pm - Planning Meeting for February 21st Queen’s Park Welcome Back Protection Gathering

Tuesday, February 21st - MPP Meetings at Queen’s Park, Noon Rally at the Legislature Lawn

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B) Welcome Back Gathering February 21st at Queen’s Park

After a nice long 10-week break, the Ontario House of Legislature gets back to the business of burning Ontario's Healthcare, Education, Environment and Democracy to the ground while failing to meet our collective need for affordable housing, transit, decent wages, an anti-poverty strategy, or a sustainable future. (note, this is not an exhaustive list by any means!)  

On February 21 Ontarians are invited to a Protection Gathering where we will sing, chant and dance and work together for a better future.   This peaceful and powerful event will tell the Progressive Conservative Party that Ontario demands better.  Help us welcome Doug back from his cottage with a cross-sectional gathering of friends.  

Our first cross-sectional planning meeting is on Friday January 13, 2023 at 1:00pm.   If you would like your group to be part of the organizing team, please attend our zoom meeting or email us back (see link below).  

If you have any questions, feel free to email Kim and I and we will do our best to get back to you, but briefly:
Immediately SAVE THE DATE!!
Yes, everyone is invited to attend.   If you or your group has concerns about the current government's conduct, get involved
No, we don't actually have a fixed plan.   This is a happening and it depends on you to make it work, so please, get involved.   
Yes, of course, we will have lots of music and fun and a songbook is in process.   Email Susan Berry if you have something musical to share.
With faith in the future,
Kim and Susan from the Welcome Back PC Party Team
susanberry at hotmail.com <mailto:susanberry at hotmail.com>

Greenbelt Guardians is inviting you to a zoom meeting
Time: Friday January 13, 2023 at 1:00pm
Topic: February 21 2023 Protection Rally at Queen's Park

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85736096758?pwd=VzhZZTM1UEZadVJZV0FNV2UwVmxVQT09 <https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85736096758?pwd=VzhZZTM1UEZadVJZV0FNV2UwVmxVQT09>

Meeting ID: 857 3609 6758
Passcode: 781945
One tap mobile
+16469313860,,85736096758#,,,,*781945# US
+16694449171,,85736096758#,,,,*781945# US

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C) MNRF Letter to Conservation Authorities:

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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
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>

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