[All] Bill 23, Greenbelt, Regional Planning - Meeting Reminder Today Friday, June 9th at 5:30pm

Fri Jun 9 10:30:54 EDT 2023

Good Day,

A reminder of our regular update meeting today - Friday, June 9th at 5:30pm on Zoom where we will discuss all the recent activities and the implications for our communities: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09  Hopefully you will be able to join us.

Here’s the latest news and information in addition to the detailed e-mail that was sent out this past Monday.

1) Speak Up About Rural Severances and PPS - we now have until August 4th to get as much feedback as possible to area MPPs, Cabinet, the Premier, and the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) regarding the proposed changes to the PPS including the absurd 3 rural severances per farm.

It’s easy to submit a comment to the ERO.  Please do so right now even if it is only a couple of sentences at:

	 https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6813

Ontario Nature has lead the creation of an excellent ERO submission in collaboration with 62 groups across the province.  It is attached below and you can utilize it to help draft your own comments and feedback to the government.

It has been fantastic to see municipalities across the province continue to issue Staff Reports and motions against these severances as well as raise other concerns about the proposed PPS changes.  Please ensure that your municipality is speaking up and sending a clear message to Queen’s Park - particularly since they now have until August 4th to comment on the ERO.  At the very least they should approve and endorse the excellent motion that the Township of Woolwich has drafted and made available to other communities (attached below). 

2) Latest Media Coverage - here’s a couple of recent articles:

	The Record - Waterloo Region to Roll Up Sleeves to Make Housing Happen:
	https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2023/06/05/waterloo-region-to-roll-up-sleeves-to-make-more-housing-happen.html

	Orillia Matters - Calling the Greenbelt A Scam Goes Beyond the Pale:
	https://www.orilliamatters.com/letters-to-the-editor/letter-calling-greenbelt-a-scam-goes-beyond-the-pale-7074323

3) Bill 62? - It appears that independent MPP Bobby Ann Brady introduced Bill 62 to protect farmland earlier this year.  Does anyone know what has become of it?  Please share any news or anything that you may know about it:

	Bill 62 from Bobbi Ann Brady?:
	https://www.thesilo.ca/mpp-brady-intros-farmland-protection-legislation/

4) Proposed Rally and Picnic? - Our Rally Committee is wondering about hosting our next rally on Saturday, July 29th in advance of the August 6th PPS ERO deadline.  It could be a perfect opportunity to bring together a broad range of groups such as affordable housing advocates, agricultural groups, environmental groups, and many others concerned about the proposed PPS changes, housing, and rural severances.  Please let either Mike or Kevin know if you would be interested in joining the Rally Committee to help plan this next event or if you have any ideas on how we can surpass our last events with even greater impact.

5) New Mapping and Analysis by Environmental Defence - New mapping and analysis by Environmental Defence discredits Ontario government's excuses for forcing suburban boundary expansions along with removing Greenbelt, floodplain, and wetland protections.  It’s amazing to learn that the amount of land already designated for suburban development in the GTAH is more than three times the size of Paris, France!

	New Mapping and Analysis Discredits the Ontario Government’s Excuses for Forcing Suburban Boundary Expansions and Removing Greenbelt, Floodplain and Wetland Protections - Environmental Defence <https://environmentaldefence.ca/2023/05/30/new-mapping-and-analysis-discredits-the-ontario-governments-excuses-for-forcing-suburban-boundary-expansions-and-removing-greenbelt-floodplain-and-wetland-protections/>

6) CELA Bill 23 Passed…  What Happens Next Webinar - The Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) will be hosting an online webinar with the Markham Public Library discussing Bill 23 and the impacts it will have on communities, climate resilience, citizen engagement, affordable housing, protecting water, and natural heritage.  The webinar will be held on Thursday, June 15th at 6pm and will also discuss other recent land use and housing law proposals.  Registration is required at:

	CELA Lecture - Bill 23 Passed…. What Happens Next?
	https://markham.bibliocommons.com/events/64494f0a023dc43e007f54f3

7) Municipal Leaders for Stronger Communities Webinar Recording - Also, in case you haven't seen below is the link to the latest video from the Municipal Leaders for Stronger Communities.  It includes a stellar explanation by Victor Doyle of the current provincial housing chaos and everything that the province is doing that is the opposite of what we really need to be doing:

	https://www.youtube.com/@EcoSparkEnv/videos

8) Reminder - Meeting this Friday - Join us this Friday, June 9th at 5:30pm:

	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

Please help us inform people about these issues.  Feel free to forward this e-mail or parts of it to anyone you think would be interested and please reply or send Mike or Kevin any e-mail addresses of people you would like to be added to our distribution list.  Each week we are growing our reach and helping to educate to more people.

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, June 9th - 5:30pm - Next update meeting on Zoom - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

Thursday, June 15th - 6:00pm - CELA - Bill 23 Has Passed…. What Happens Next Webinar - https://markham.bibliocommons.com/events/64494f0a023dc43e007f54f3

Saturday, July 29th - 2:00pm - Save the Date!  Proposed Rally and Picnic at Waterloo Park - More details coming soon!

Friday, August 4th - last day to comment on the Provincial Policy Statement - https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6813

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B) Staff Reports and Woolwich Motion they are encouraging other municipalties to endorse/adopt as well:

i) Woolwich Township PPS Staff Report and Motion:

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C) Speak up on the Provincial Policy Statement and proposed rural severances for farmland: 

Please comment by today - JUNE 5th on the PPS: https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6813 <https://gasp4change.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f78129ba7eabe097015221d5d&id=840c2d168c&e=8a629d034f> 

You can also still send in additional comments as we learn more by AUGUST 4th.

Here are some notes to help write your comments:

https://environmentaldefence.ca/2023/04/06/ontario-to-kill-growth-plan-proposed-new-planning-rules-would-kneecap-housing-supply-efforts-and-unleash-unprecedented-sprawl-on-ontarios-forests-farmland-and-wetlands/ <https://gasp4change.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f78129ba7eabe097015221d5d&id=4ae43b5c7d&e=8a629d034f>

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D) Here's Excellent Ontario Nature Led Submission on the PPS and Rural Severances you can use in your ERO submission:

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E) 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
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
Laura Mae Lindo - MPP Kitchener Centre - llindo-qp at ndp.on.ca <mailto:llindo-qp at ndp.on.ca> or 519-579-5460

Local Green Party MPPs:
Mike Schreiner - MPP Guelph - mschreiner at ola.org <mailto:mschreiner at ola.org> or (519) 836-4190

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

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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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