[All] Doug Ford Protest, Monday Wilmot Town Hall Event, Wilmot Council Protest, Science Centre Closed, GRCA Announces Land Sell-Off
Kevin Thomason
kevinthomason at mac.com
Sun Jun 23 13:46:03 EDT 2024
Good Day,
Almost immediately after we sent last week’s update there was a lot of important breaking news. Here’s the latest:
1) Wilmot Mega-Industrial Site Protests Monday 3:30pm & 6:30pm - It was fantastic to see dozens of people protesting the mega-industrial site proposal at last Wednesday’s Regional Council meeting. There are two opportunities to rally and show support for the Fight For Farmland in Wilmot this Monday when local, provincial, and federal elected officials are scheduled to appear at the opening of the new Nith River Promenade at 3:30pm and again at the final Wilmot Township Council Meeting before summer starting at 6:30pm. Details are as follows:
Nith River Promenade Grand Opening
Time and Date: 4:00pm, Monday June 24th
Location: 121 Huron Street, the park behind the library and the fire station
Details: Park anywhere on area streets, plan to rally starting at 3:30pm at entrances to the promenade trail to greet arriving elected officials, please be respectful of the event and hopefully there will be the opportunity to dialog with hard to reach MPP Mike Harris Jr.
Wilmot Township Council Meeting
Time and Date: 7:00pm, Monday, June 24th
Location - 60 Snyder’s Road West, Baden
Details: Rally and greet arriving Councillors at 6:30pm at both the rear doors and the main entrance to Castle Kilbride.
Great media coverage continues including excellent lead-item radio and front page media coverage of last week’s Regional Council meeting protest:
CBC - “We Need Our Farmland” Regional Council Told Amid Protest Over Wilmot Land Deal:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/wilmot-land-purchase-expropriation-waterloo-region-protest-1.7240999
CBC - Protest Against Wilmot Land Expropriation Held Outside Regional Council Chambers:
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6428074
CityNews - Protester Gather Outside Regional Headquarters, Opposing Proposed Wilmot Land Expropriation:
https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/06/20/protesters-gather-outside-regional-headquarters-opposing-wilmot-land-assembly/
Action Required - Please continue to speak up and show firsthand that we are unwilling!
2) Monday! Wilmot Farm Land Assembly Town Hall Meetings - Join us again at the New Hamburg Community Centre (251 Jacob Street) to show firsthand we are unwilling and learn about the Wilmot mega-industrial site proposal. This is a second Town Hall meeting will be similar to last week’s meeting that drew an excellent crowd with lots of great questions. Please feel free to join us again or if you were unable to attend last week be sure to attend on Monday evening. The Community Centre is fully air-conditioned and free ice-cold water will be available.
Secure your ticket at no cost at the link below:
Monday, June 24th at 7:00pm - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fight-for-farmland-group-town-hall-tickets-927008355947
The Town Hall meeting will include a presentation on information we have learned so far and critical next steps to show we are unwilling, followed by a Question & Answer session. You can send any questions you may have in advance to: wilmotlandowners at gmail.com <mailto:wilmotlandowners at gmail.com>
Here’s some of the media coverage of Thursday's Town Hall:
The Record - Region Offers To Share Information With Landowners In Wilmot Regarding Plans To Build Industrial Site On Farmland:
https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/region-offers-to-share-information-with-landowners-in-wilmot-regarding-plans-to-build-industrial-site/article_d3da2951-abb0-55cd-b42a-24d8de4fbadc.html
The Record - Having Your Say Doesn’t Mean It’ll Go Your Way:
https://www.therecord.com/opinion/columnists/having-your-say-doesnt-mean-itll-go-your-way/article_fea95dad-3e6b-54e9-b707-4d58463f7f05.html
CTV - Town Hall Held For Wilmot Township Land Owners:
https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/video/c2944432-town-hall-held-for-wilmot-township-landowners
Good comments from Stewart and Alfred
CTV - Wilmot Township Landowners Fighting Expropriation Hold First Town Hall:
https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/wilmot-township-landowners-fighting-expropriation-hold-first-town-hall-1.6935638
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn critical details about this massive industrial development that could forever change our community and show that we are an unwilling host.
3) Doug Ford Hamilton Protest - Tuesday, June 25th, 11:30am - Speak directly to Doug Ford, RBC, and Enbridge on Tuesday at 11:30am at the Royal Botanical Gardens in a protest being organized by a wide variety of groups. More details are in the poster attached below.
Time and Date - Tuesday, June 25th at 11:30am
Location - Royal Botanical Gardens, 680 Plains Road West, Burlington
4) GRCA Announces Surplus Lands Inventory - It appears that the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) has identified lands to be sold off for housing to meet Doug Ford’s December deadline. We are still struggling to understand how any Conservation Authority Lands can be declared surplus and sold for destruction and development in a climate crisis.
However, a copy of the GRCA Staff Report brought to our attention by group member Laura Murr can be accessed on page 129 of the Board Package and is also attached below. This vague Staff Report will be coming to their Board meeting on June 28th this week. It is very troubling to see the comment that “there is no requirement to involve the public”:
https://calendar.grandriver.ca/directors/Detail/2024-06-28-GRCA-General-Membership-Meeting/Agenda%20Package%20-%20GRCA%20General%20Membership%20Meeting_Jun28_2024%20(1).pdf
It is uncertain what steps will follow, however, it would be great to see letters and delegations to the GRCA Board this week expressing concerns about selling off any lands for development.
5) The Ontario Science Centre Suddenly Closes Permanently - In another amazing legacy of the Ford government, late on Friday afternoon (the usual time for important announcements from the province) the immediate closure of the Ontario Science Centre was announced due to the roof in danger of collapsing from a lack of maintenance and upkeep. Lots of events including summer camps were scheduled over the coming weeks.
Some media chose to echo the Ford government announcement without questioning it:
The Toronto Star - Ford Government Abruptly Closes Ontario Science Centre After Report Found Roof In Danger Of Collapsing:
https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/ford-government-abruptly-closes-ontario-science-centre-after-report-found-roof-in-danger-of-collapsing/article_3e7a8442-2fd8-11ef-9c00-03276c11fe83.html
CityNews - Ontario Science Centre To Close Immediately After Report Finds Roof At Risk Of Collapsing:
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/06/21/ontario-science-centre-close-immediately-roof-risk-collapsing/
However, other articles were more outspoken:
The Toronto Star - Ontario Science Centre Has One Last Hard Lesson To Teach Us All:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/ontario-science-centre-has-one-last-hard-lesson-to-teach-us-all/article_89e23d6c-2fec-11ef-b3e1-6f7edf7e32a2.html
The Toronto Star - The Ford Government Blamed Bad Concrete For the Science Centre’s Decay. In A Letter Last Year The Building’s Architect Told A Different Story:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/the-ford-government-blamed-bad-concrete-for-the-science-centre-s-decay-in-a-letter/article_a08a897e-30d3-11ef-a7b2-07d1cf601d42.html
The land at the Science Centre was leased from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and could face development pressures as the provincial government forces Conservation Authorities to identify lands to sell for development by December.
Here’s the provincial announcement:
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1004747/professional-engineering-advice-leads-to-closure-of-ontario-science-centre
It is clearly a case where maintenance and repairs have been deferred and now we have their desired outcome as the building was designed to have a lifespan of up to 200 years.
A Twitter posted by NDP MPP Bhutila Karpoche sums things up:
https://x.com/bhutilakarpoche/status/1804512447119634899?s=46&t=XLYcxxaKfwXm7EGqQ-olxw
Here at least is some much-needed humour from the Beaverton:
https://thebeaverton.com/2024/06/ontario-science-centre-closes-after-roof-in-danger-of-collapsing-under-weight-of-doug-fords-bullshit/
6) Reminder - Next Meeting - Join us this Friday, June 28th at 5:30pm online at the Zoom link below:
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
Watch for more updates later this week.
Cheers,
Kevin Thomason, Mike Marcolongo, and Joan Faux on behalf of all our community groups.
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A) Upcoming Events - Please don’t claim there’s nothing happening over the next few weeks! Get out and get involved!
Monday, June 24th at 3:30pm - Farmland Rally at New Hamburg Promenade Grand Opening - 121 Huron Street, New Hamburg - behind library and fire hall
Monday, June 24th at 6:30pm - Farmland Rally at Wilmot Township Council - 60 Snyder’s Road, West, Baden - www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/>
Monday, June 24th 6:00pm - GDS/High Performance Development Standards - Cambridge Centre of the Arts - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-cambridge-tickets-924667012927
Monday, June 24th at 7:00pm - Fight For Farmland Town Hall Meeting #2 - New Hamburg Community Centre Hall, 251 Jacob Street, Downtown New Hamburg - www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/>
Tuesday, June 25th at 11:30am - Doug Ford Protest - 680 Plains Road West, Burlington - see poster below
Tuesday, June 25th 6:00pm - GDS/High Performance Development Standards - Waterloo Memorial Recreational Complex - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-waterloo-tickets-924668226557
Tuesday, June 25th - 7pm - Guelph Climate Action Network - Heat Pump Event - 42 Carden Street
Wednesday, June 26th 3:00pm - GDS/High Performance Development Standards - Kitchener Public Library - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-kitchener-tickets-915403866607?aff=oddtdtcreator
Wednesday, June 26th 7:00pm - GDS/High Performance Development Standards - Kitchener Public Library - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-kitchener-tickets-915575660447?aff=oddtdtcreator
Wednesday, June 26th - 7:00pm - GreenDrinks KW at Arabella Park, 740 Belmont Ave. West, Kitchener - https://www.facebook.com/groups/KWGreenDrinks/
Thursday, June 27th 7:00pm - GDS/High Performance Development Standards - New Hamburg Community Centre - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-workshop-new-hamburg-tickets-924660864537
Friday, June 28th at 5:30pm - Next group update meeting on Zoom - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09
Monday, July 8th - 6pm - North Dumfries Township ClimateActionWR/Waterloo Climate Collaborative Council Delegation - https://www.northdumfries.ca/en/township-services/speak-before-council.aspx
Tuesday, July 16th, 6:30pm - City of Cambridge - ClimateActionWR/Waterloo Climate Collaborative Council Delegation - https://forms.cambridge.ca/Delegation-Request-Form
Wednesday, July 17th - 7:00pm to 8:30pm - Heat Pumps 101 - Talk to an expert - Woolwich Memorial Centre, Elmira
Monday, July 29th at 6:30pm - Fight For Farmland Rally at Wilmot Township Council - 60 Snyder’s Road, West, Baden - www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/>
Monday, August 26th - 7pm - City of Kitchener ClimateActionWR/Waterloo Climate Collaborative Council Delegation - https://www.kitchener.ca/en/council-and-city-administration/appear-as-a-delegation.aspx
Wednesday, August 28th at 6:30pm - Fight For Farmland Rally at Region of Waterloo Council - 150 Fredrick Street, Kitchener - www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/>
-----------------------------
B) Fight For Farmland Town Hall Meeting - Monday, June 24th at 7pm:
Reserve Free Tickets to Guarantee Admission - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fight-for-farmland-group-town-hall-tickets-926202565807

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fight-for-farmland-group-town-hall-tickets-926202565807
---------------------------------
C) Hamilton Doug Ford Protest - Tuesday, June 25th at 11:30am - RBG 680 Plains Road West, Burlington

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D) GRCA Announces Surplus Lands Inventory - Attached as a PDF is the Lan Inventory Staff Report coming to the June 28th GRCA Board Meeting. Please speak up:

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E) Speak Up and Ensure Your Voice is Heard:
Wilmot Township Council
Natasha Salonen, Mayor, Wilmot, natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca <mailto:natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca>
Stewart Cressman, Councillor Ward 1, Wilmot, stewart.cressman at wilmot.ca <mailto:stewart.cressman at wilmot.ca>
Kris Wilkinson, Councillor Ward 2, Wilmot, kris.wilkinson at wilmot.ca <mailto:kris.wilkinson at wilmot.ca>
Havir Sidhu, Councillor Ward 3, Wilmot, harvir.sidhu at wilmot.ca <mailto:harvir.sidhu at wilmot.ca>
Lillianne Dunstall, Councillor Ward 4, Wilmot, lillianne.dunstall at wilmot.ca <mailto:lillianne.dunstall at wilmot.ca>
Steven Martin, Councillor Ward 4, Wilmot, steven.martin at wilmot.ca <mailto:steven.martin at wilmot.ca>
Region of Waterloo Council
Karen Redman, Regional Chair, kredman at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:kredman at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Berry Vrbanovic, Mayor, Kitchener, berryv at kitchener.ca <mailto:berryv at kitchener.ca>
Dorothy McCabe, Mayor, City of Waterloo, dorothy.mccabe at waterloo.ca <mailto:dorothy.mccabe at waterloo.ca>
Jan Liggett, Cambridge Mayor, Cambridge, liggettj at cambridge.ca <mailto:liggettj at cambridge.ca>
Sue Foxton, Mayor, North Dumfries, sfoxton at northdumfries.ca <mailto:sfoxton at northdumfries.ca>
Natasha Salonen, Mayor, Wilmot, natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca <mailto:natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca>
Joe Nowak, Mayor, Wellesley, jnowak at wellesley.ca <mailto:jnowak at wellesley.ca>
Sandy Shantz, Mayor, Woolwich, sshantz at woolwich.ca <mailto:sshantz at woolwich.ca>
Doug Craig, Regional Councillor, Cambridge, dougcraig at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:dougcraig at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Pam Wolf, Regional Councillor, Cambridge, pwolf at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:pwolf at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Colleen James, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, CJames at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:CJames at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Michael Harris, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, MHarris at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:MHarris at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Kari Williams, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, KariWilliams at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:KariWilliams at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Rob Deutschmann, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, RDeutschmann at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:RDeutschmann at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Jim Erb, Regional Councillor, Waterloo, JErb at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:JErb at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Chantal Huinink, Regional Councillor, Waterloo, CHuinink at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:CHuinink at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Province of Ontario
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 - Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier, 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.or <mailto:mschreiner at ola.org>g or (519) 836-4190
New! - Aislinn Clancy - MPP Kitchener Centre - aclancy-co at ola.org <mailto:aclancy-co at ola.org> or 519-579-5460
Independent MPPs:
Bobbi Ann Brady - MPP Haldimand-Norfolk - babrady-co at ola.org <mailto:babrady-co at ola.org> or (519) 428-0446
Federal Members of Parliament
Local Liberal MPs:
Bryan May - MP Cambridge - bryan.may at parl.gc.ca <mailto:bryan.may at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 624-7440
Tim Louis - MP Kitchener-Conestoga - tim.louis at parl.gc.ca <mailto:tim.louis at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 578-3777
Valerie Bradford - MP Kitchener-South Hespeler - valerie.bradford at parl.gc.ca <mailto:valerie.bradford at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 571-5509
Bardish Chagger - MP Waterloo - bardish.chagger at parl.gc.ca <mailto:bardish.chagger at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 746-1573
Lloyd Longfield - MP Guelph - lloyd.longfield at parl.gc.ca <mailto:lloyd.longfield at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 837-8276
Local Conservative MPs:
Michael Chong - MP Wellington-Halton Hills - michael.chong at parl.gc.ca <mailto:michael.chong at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 843-7344
Larry Brok - MP Brantford-Brant - larry.brock at parl.gc.ca <mailto:larry.brock at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 754-4300
John Nater - MP Perth-Wellington - john.nater at parl.gc.ca <mailto:john.nater at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 273-1400
Local Green Party MPs:
Mike Morrice - MP Kitchener - mike.morrice at parl.gc.ca <mailto:mike.morrice at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 741-2001
-----------------------------------
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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