<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">Lori</div><div class=""><br class=""></div>I've had a few requests to put this on the GREN agenda and will do so.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Just one clarification: it isn't the replacement for the OMB that Ford is ending. The Liberal government had changed the OMB to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). The liberals had also set up a new agency - the Local Planning Appeal Support Centre (LPASC). It is this latter agency that they are closing down. Closing the LPASC is a major setback for citizen action in Ontario because this organization was providing expert advise and support to those who wanted to participate in planning matters. It's closure will make it harder for citizens to participate in matters that go through the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. See below notice on LPASC website. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><h3 class="">LPASC Mandate</h3><p class="">LPASC was established under the <em class="">Local Planning Appeal Support Centre Act, 2017</em>, with the mandate to:</p>
<ul class="">
<li class="">establish and administer a cost-effective and efficient system for
providing support services to eligible individuals with respect to
matters governed by the <em class="">Planning Act</em> that are under the jurisdiction of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal</li>
<li class="">establish policies and priorities for support services based on its financial resources, and</li>
<li class="">provide services that include:
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<li class="">information on land use planning</li>
<li class="">guidance on Tribunal procedures</li>
<li class="">advice or representation</li>
<li class="">other services prescribed by regulations</li>
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<div class="lede"><p class="">The Government of Ontario has made a decision to close the
Local Planning Appeal Support Centre (LPASC). LPASC has until June 30,
2019 to wind down the business.</p><p class="">Effective immediately, LPASC will no longer be accepting new requests
for professional services from the public. During this wind down
period, LPASC is committed to continuing to serve, to the best of its
ability, those clients who have retained its services. LPASC staff will
be in contact with those clients with further details shortly.</p><p class="">If you have any questions, please send an email to <a href="mailto:info@lpasc.ca" class="">info@lpasc.ca</a> or call 1-800-993-8410.</p>
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<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">------------------------------</div><div class="">John Jackson</div><div class="">17 Major Street</div><div class="">Kitchener N2H 4R1</div><div class="">519-744-7503</div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
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<br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Feb 26, 2019, at 10:01 AM, <a href="mailto:strothjkl@sympatico.ca" class="">strothjkl@sympatico.ca</a> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Thanks Susan. Please add to the agenda whether GREN should do anything about protesting the Ford gov.’t abrupt ending of the Ontario Municipal Board, now called The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, LPAT, an important democratic tool for everyone other than government to fight development applications. I sent an email about this to GREN back on Sat. Feb. 23<sup class="">rd</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>but haven’t heard much talk about this. I don’t understand why this isn’t in the news and being talked about more...<b class=""><span style="color: red;" class="">this is huge, isn’t it?</span></b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As usual it was pushed through at the end of a Friday on a long weekend so they were hoping it wouldn’t be noticed..and it almost looks like they succeeded. Does anyone have any opinions on this..I know it gets tiresome..all the work fighting Bill 66, and now this..it’s hard to mount the energy to fight issue after issue. But I think this is really important to speak out against.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">The story of Ford cutting the OMB:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/02/22/news/doug-ford-shuts-service-helps-ontario-citizens-fight-wealthy-developers" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class="">https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/02/22/news/doug-ford-shuts-service-helps-ontario-citizens-fight-wealthy-developers</span></a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">The Ontario Municipal Board was established in 1906, and some sources say even earlier, as<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b class=""><span style="color: red;" class="">an</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="color: red;" class="">important public tribunal for planning and development disputes</span></b>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b class="">It has been around for a long time -over 112 years+!! <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>and plays an important role and should not be allowed to just be slashed by Doug Ford. History of the OMB: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_Municipal_Board" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;" class="">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_Municipal_Board</a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">It’s where you can go if someone wants to build a 20 storey apartment building beside your house, or a farmer gets notice that someone is going to infringe on his/her land with an adjacent development, perhaps involving pollution and noise. <o:p class=""></o:p></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">How and why it was recently overhauled to be more fair by the Wynn’s Liberals at the public’s request:<o:p class=""></o:p></div></div><div class=""><div class=""><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/omb-planning-appeal-tribunal-development-1.4595608" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;" class="">https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/omb-planning-appeal-tribunal-development-1.4595608</a><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The LPAT’s homepage now:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://elto.gov.on.ca/tribunals/lpat/about-lpat/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;" class="">http://elto.gov.on.ca/tribunals/lpat/about-lpat/</a><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">As far as I know Ontario cities and Regions also would go to the OMB in the past to get a decisions on many development issues, so this will be closed to them also. I remember over the years, working on many environmental issues with all 3 cities, the Region, and townships, that they would often be involved with the OMB. Obviously this is a way for Ford to block and reduce opposition to development proposals such as the proposed glass plant that wanted to use over a million litres of water per day between Guelph and Cambridge.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/residents-try-to-block-proposed-glass-plant-near-guelph-1.4731971" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;" class="">https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/residents-try-to-block-proposed-glass-plant-near-guelph-1.4731971</a><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Under Ford, there would be less options to fight such environmentally-damaging things.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I want to contact CBC-KW radio to talk about this issue. Does anyone feel knowledgeable and angry about this to speak to it, if they ask me if I know anyone they could talk to about why this is abhorrent?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Thanks<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Lori Strothard<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Waterloo<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br class="">On Feb 26, 2019, at 9:12 AM, Susan Koswan <<a href="mailto:susankoswan@execulink.com" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;" class="">susankoswan@execulink.com</a>> wrote:<o:p class=""></o:p></p></div><blockquote style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt;" class="" type="cite"><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Hi GRENers,<br class=""><br class="">Thought I'd share this as concerns have been raised from Steckle Farm - the widening of Bleams from 2 to 4 lanes could impact their centuries old artesian well that feeds their animals and crops, and it could mean removing some of the heritage stone wall in front of the property. I'm not able to attend the public meeting on Wed, Feb 27 from 5 - 8 pm, so hoping someone from GREN can.<br class=""><br class=""><a href="https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=413f8417-748b-42fa-85f4-67958bd71fac&fbclid=IwAR25bg1wDiHqyfFNqThcaiCVd37tCiN2y0Y2aZQUELmLdeOm6cQwkHC0NP8" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;" class="">https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=413f8417-748b-42fa-85f4-67958bd71fac&fbclid=IwAR25bg1wDiHqyfFNqThcaiCVd37tCiN2y0Y2aZQUELmLdeOm6cQwkHC0NP8</a><br class=""><br class="">Best,<br class=""><br class="">Susan K<br class=""><br class=""><br class="">_______________________________________________<br class="">All mailing list<br class=""><a href="mailto:All@gren.ca" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;" class="">All@gren.ca</a><br class=""><a href="http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;" class="">http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca</a><o:p class=""></o:p></div></div></blockquote></div></div></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; display: inline !important;" class="">_______________________________________________</span><br style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; display: inline !important;" class="">All mailing list</span><br style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class=""><a href="mailto:All@gren.ca" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class="">All@gren.ca</a><br style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class=""><a href="http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class="">http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca</a></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></body></html>