[All] Bill 23, Bill 97, Regional Planning, Greenbelt, PPS Updates

Thu May 4 20:46:12 EDT 2023

Good Day,

For once we have had a week with no new concerning land-use announcements from the province for our watershed!  Instead of bad news we want to highlight briefly some of the amazing people in our community working towards the more sustainable future we need:

- Jeff Stager - Radio and Council Delegations - For many years now Jeff has been hosting his local radio show “The Agriculture Show” on CKMS 102.7.  His show is a delightful mix of fascinating guests, agricultural education and music relevant to the topic.  Jeff also regularly presents detailed agricultural updates to both rural and urban municipalities across our watershed and the impact of his impressive delegations was confirmed this week when municipal staff in one of the cities commented about the impact of his agricultural presentation at Council and the number of questions he received from interested Councillors being some of the best engagement they have seen.

- Nigel Gordijk - Community Reporting - For many years now Nigel has been not only a reporter for several area newspapers but has also been one of the most active citizens that we can name on social media - tirelessly publishing all sorts of information, news, and concerns that citizens need to know about.  The impact of all the issues and information that he has brought forward in our communities has been tremendously positive and our watershed would be much less informed without his continuous communication efforts.

- Hal Jaeger - Rallies and Neighbourhood Associations - A resident of downtown Kitchener, Hal has been instrumental not only in his own neighbourhood association but bringing many neighbourhood associations together to learn from each other and fight common issues jointly.  The websites he helps to run are a wealth of information and one of the best collections of aggregated information on Bill 23 and now Bill 97 that we are aware of (https://oldeberlintown.ca/information-about-proposed-bill-97/).  Hal has also been a driving force for several of our recent rallies that were so successful.  Thank you Hal!

1) Media Coverage - good media and social media coverage continues on these planning issues so impacting our communities:

	Another developer who bought lands he did not know would be removed from the Greenbelt….
	The Globe and Mail - Documents Reveal Hospital Proposal in Ontario’s Greenbelt:
	https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-documents-reveal-hospital-proposal-on-greenbelt/

	CityNews - Ford Government To Launch Audits of 6 Municipalities Housing Finances:
	https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/05/04/ford-government-municipalities-audit-housing-finances/

	Martin De Groot - The Evening Muse Contemplates The Destruction of Our Countryside and Future Elections:
	https://marinus.substack.com/p/media-musings-part-2-a-facebook-exchange

	The excellent detailed and easy to understand multipart series on the impacts of the provincial government actions on the Greenbelt:

	City News - Part 1 - The Greenbelt from the Ground - What Could Be Lost:
	https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2023/04/25/the-greenbelt-from-the-ground-what-could-be-lost/

	City News - Part 2 - Crown Jewel of the Greenbelt to be Developed:
	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjJMnUfVutw

	City News - Part 3 - Excellent Reporting with Doug Ford attempting and failing to answer questions - Doug Ford Defends Opening Greenbelt:
	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZDCzZltmg

2) Rural Farm Severances - Radio Show - By far the most concerning recent Provincial announcement has been the absurd proposal to allow prime farmland to be able to have three land severances and then also build an additional two homes on every farm.  Given that we are already losing 319 acres of farmland in Ontario every day, slicing up our intact farms into lots of smaller parcels for housing is not only going to dramatically increase the loss of irreplaceable farmland but permanently impair our ability to grow food effectively for generations to come.

Jeff Stager (who I just mentioned above for his excellent radio show “The Agriculture Show”) had University of Guelph Professor Wayne Caldwell who focusses on rural planning and development on his show this past week.  Dr. Caldwell did an excellent overview of concerns about these severances that he calculates could result in the unsustainable and completely unnecessary loss of over 140,000 acres of Ontario farmland.  Check out the radio show at:

	https://radiowaterloo.ca/episode-284-agriculture-show-april-25-2023/

3) Rural Farm Severances - Ontario Farmland Trust Webinar - Join Ontario Farmland Trust on May 17th at 12pm for the free Lunch, Learn and Take Action webinar on Impacts of the New Proposed Provincial Planning Statement: Lot Creation Policies.  Featruring Dr. Pam Duesling, Dr. Wayne Caldwell, and Margaret Walton it should be an excellent and easy way to learn more about these policy changes proposed in the new PPS and how you can take action for agriculture and the environment:

	https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/lunch-learn-takeactionimpacts-of-proposed-provincial-planning-statement-tickets-625704678537

4) Speak Up on the ERO Submissions - We need to be speaking up very loudly and protesting these proposed changes to planning, our communities, and precious farmland.  There are still open comment periods on the recent announcements of the Provincial Policy Statement and Bill 97.  You don’t need to be an expert and you don’t need to submit a lengthy submission in order to comment - even just a few words of concern is enough to send a message that you are not supportive of these provincial changes and policies:

	Comment on Bill 97 by May 6th - Just a few days left!:
	https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6821

	Comment on the Provincial Policy Statement (in particular the absurd proposed farm severances) until June 5th:
	https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6813

We should note that while at times we wonder if our letters, phone calls and ERO submissions have much impact with Doug Ford’s Conservative Provincial Government, we were recently learned just how concerned the government is by all our actions, how closely they are tracking them, and that we are indeed having a significant impact.

5) Lawn Signs -  Now that Spring is here brighten up your lawn with a sign in support of the Greenbelt and lawn signs in support of Respecting Official Plans/Stopping Sprawl.  We still have some signs available (examples below).  Please let any of our sign captains know if you would be interested in some for your lawn and neighbourhood:

	Both Regional Official Plan and Greenbelt Signs:
	Kitchener - Cathy Scott - cathy.scottfree at gmail.com <mailto:cathy.scottfree at gmail.com>
	Waterloo - David Lubell - dlubell at bell.net <mailto:dlubell at bell.net>
	Cambridge - Ashley Labelle - ashleynlabelle at gmail.com <mailto:ashleynlabelle at gmail.com>
	Elmira - Sandra Bray - sandra at sandrabray.ca <mailto:sandra at sandrabray.ca>
	Wilmot - Dorothy Wilson - ah_wilson at sympatico.ca <mailto:ah_wilson at sympatico.ca>
        Wellesley - Linda Lackey - lindamclackey at gmail.com <mailto:lindamclackey at gmail.com>
	Greenbelt Signs:
	Guelph Downtown - Anne Moore - amoore083 at gmail.com <mailto:amoore083 at gmail.com>
	Guelph South - Al Dejong - albert1dejong at gmail.com <mailto:albert1dejong at gmail.com>
	Centre Wellington  - Peter Varty - pjvarty at gmail.com <mailto:pjvarty at gmail.com>
	Brantford - Joan Faux - mom2jnp at gmail.com <mailto:mom2jnp at gmail.com>
	Glen Morris - Jeff Leader - geosynergy at yahoo.com <mailto:geosynergy at yahoo.com> 

6) Reminder - No Meeting this Friday - Our next update meeting will be Friday, May 12th 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

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

Saturday, May 6th - last day to comment on Bill 97 - https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6821

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

Wednesday, May 17th - 12pm - Ontario Farmland Trust Webinar on Rural Severances - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/lunch-learn-takeactionimpacts-of-proposed-provincial-planning-statement-tickets-625704678537

Monday, June 5th - last day to comment on the Provincial Policy Statement - https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6813

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B) Ontario Farmland Trust Webinar on Farm Severances - May 17th 12pm:

Wayne Caldwell Lunch Learn and Take Action - Rural Farmland Severances:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/lunch-learn-takeactionimpacts-of-proposed-provincial-planning-statement-tickets-625704678537

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C) Need a lawn sign to replace your snowbanks?  Please reach out to Kevin, Mike, or any of our Sign Captains:

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D) Speak up on Bill 97 and the Provincial Policy Statement: 

Please comment by 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> 

and May 6th on Bill 97: https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6821

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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E) Other Concerning Issues - Province Seeks to Build More Fossil Gas Plants"

 <https://climatefast.ca/civicrm/mailing/url?u=4634&qid=154453>
Join Environmental Defence, energy experts, and local community organizers on May 4th at 6 p.m. for a virtual discussion about why we need to stop new gas plants, the energy alternatives available, how the coal phase-out was won, and how to successfully prevent a gas plant expansion in your community!

https://act.environmentaldefence.ca/page/126103/petition/1

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F) Good Media Articles:

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G) Public Healthcare - Pharmacare Townhall Meeting - May 16th 7pm:

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H) 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

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

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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