<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">Good Day GREN,</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Lori has raised some really good points and concerns about the Local Planning Appeal Support Centre elimination. It is concerning how little attention it is getting but with all the health care issues, autism protests, emerging scandals, etc. there isn’t much space in the media. I have attached a great series of tweets below from Mark Cripps about the LPASC changes and possible impacts.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Here’s also an update on other current issues:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">1) Bill 66 - </b>Kudo’s again to everyone on all our efforts to stop Section 10 of Bill 66. While our MPP's have returned to Queen’s Park, we are still awaiting the removal of Section 10. Several of local groups have collaborated with opposition MPP Catherine Fife on a letter (attached below) to Minister Steve Clark asking for exactly what to expect with the withdrawal and confirmation when it has been removed.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">There are still serious concerns with other Sections of Bill 66 such as Section 5 - the elimination of the Toxins Reduction Act. We urge your group to speak up and I have included information from the Canadian Environmental Law Association below.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">2) Places to Grow Act - Growth Plan Amendment #1 </b>- this coming Thursday, February 28th at midnight is the deadline for comments on the provincial government's plans to roll back progress on urban sprawl to 1970’s levels. It is extremely concerning to see Smart Growth planning being overturned, settlement boundary area expansions being facilitated without even any data or need required, and the return to increased inefficient urban sprawl we can not afford and that will consume so much more farmland as well as green space.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">You can learn more in recent media articles:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>-The Record Article (also below) - <a href="https://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/9187702-tim-gray-the-big-return-of-urban-sprawl-in-ontario/" class="">https://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/9187702-tim-gray-the-big-return-of-urban-sprawl-in-ontario/</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Staff Reports from the Region of Waterloo and City of Waterloo:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div></body></html>