[All] MPP Mike Harris Jr. Protest This Thursday 2pm and Bill 185 Extended Deadline this Friday!

Wed May 22 00:47:19 EDT 2024

Good Day,

A quick reminder of two things happening in the next 72 hours:

1) Protest at MPP Mike Harris Jr’s Office - After trying for weeks to meet with MPP Mike Harris Jr regarding the Wilmot Farm Land Assembly situation, the Zion United Church in New Hamburg is organizing a protest this Thursday in downtown Elmira against this proposed farmland destruction and the lack of response from MPP Harris for a meeting.

Details are as follows:

	Date:  Thursday, May 23rd
	Time:  2:00pm 
	Location:  MPP Mike Harris Jr’s Office - 63 Arthur Street South in downtown Elmira.

Help to show firsthand that our community is unwilling on Thursday afternoon.  Learn more at: 

	https://static1.squarespace.com/static/65fca845277db5669ac677f7/t/664d2568c254b76338c25f50/1716331881011/Zion+United+Protest.pdf

2) Surprise Extension on Bill 185 - This coming Friday, May 24th is the extended deadline for suggested amendments and comments on Bill 185 - The wrongly named Cutting Red Tape To Build More Homes Act with very troubling schedules to remove citizen’s rights to appeal at the OLT and remove Regional Planning Authority from upper-tier regions that could negatively impact all of our Waterloo Regional environmental protections such as our Countryside Line that we have counted on since not receiving any Greenbelt protection from the province almost 20 years ago.

We need to ensure that Planning Authority is retained by the Region of Waterloo to ensure that our regional environmental protections continue to protect our water, farmland, and ecological areas. This could happen through amendments that could see Waterloo Region separated from other upper-tier regions losing Planning Authority and see a compromise for Waterloo Region that would retain Planning Authority and our visionary, sustainable Regional Official Plan but see a Delegated Approval Authority given to our lower-tier municipalities to allow them to do their own development approvals and planning provided that it is in conformity with the overall Regional Official Plan.  

This could give our municipalities more independence and faster approvals while still ensuring a common regional vision and efficient co-ordination of resources through the expertise and decades of experience of the Region of Waterloo.  It would also help to ensure that all of our Regional environmental protections continue to be overseen by the Region and continue to protect our lands and resources.

While the Environmental Registry (ERO) is officially closed, we can e-mail the Standing Committee on Finance and Heritage directly to encourage them to adopt amendments to ensure that Waterloo Region can retain Planning Authority and our visionary Regional Official Plan:

	 E-mail: planningconsultation at ontario.ca <mailto:planningconsultation at ontario.ca>

3) Reminder - Next Meeting - Join us Friday, May 31st 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 our regular update later this week and thanks for all the great efforts so far - please share any questions or ideas.

Cheers,
Kevin Thomason, Joan Faux, and Mike Marcolongo on behalf of all our community groups.

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A) Upcoming Events

Wednesday, May 22nd at 7pm - Reform Gravel Mining Planning Meeting for June 8th Day of Action - https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/provincial-day-of-action

Wednesday, May 22nd from 6pm to 8pm - Film screening and discussion afterwards - Free!  Green Party presents Living Below The Line - Princess Cinema - 46 King St. Waterloo - https://vote.greenparty.ca/rsvp/eve_ef93f7c21

Thursday, May 23rd - 2:00pm - Wilmot Farm Land Assembly Protest at MPP Mike Harris Jr’s Office in downtown Elmira - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/65fca845277db5669ac677f7/t/664d2568c254b76338c25f50/1716331881011/Zion+United+Protest.pdf

Friday, May 24th 11:59pm - Extended deadline for comments and amendments on Bill 185 - e-mail to: planningconsultation at ontario.ca <mailto:planningconsultation at ontario.ca>

Friday, May 31st at 5:30pm - Next group update meeting on Zoom - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

Saturday, June 8th - Provincial Day of Action Against Gravel Mining - https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/provincial-day-of-action

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B) Protest at MPP Mike Harris Jr’s Office - Thursday, May 23rd, 2pm:

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C) 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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