<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="">Good Day,<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class="">Thanks for all the e-mails, calls, participants, and excellent delegations last night at the Special Wilmot Council Meeting regarding this absurd Christmas Eve MZO request. We had more than 200 people on the YouTube and Zoom video streams which has got to be a record for Wilmot as this municipality is so small that the Council Chambers only has 35 seats that are seldom more than half full at a Council Meeting.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The developer had a dreadful presentation that was astoundingly cut off when they ran out of time. There were 14 amazing delegations from expert planner Kevin Eby, Mark Reusser at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Linda Lapelle from the National Farmers Union, GREN, Hold the Line Waterloo Region, the Nith Valley Ecoboosters, 50x30WR, and others. The presentations were amazing - each one extremely well done and every single one devastating to the MZO. Greg Michalenko did a fantastic job of speaking for GREN and raised many important concerns.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Several Councillors were incredible with direct, hard-hitting questions that called out the developer and got them to admit they were unprepared, their materials were weak and insufficient, the MZO was just being used to bypass the Regional MCR, and that they were just using the Township to get what they want from the Minister. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The huge potential ramifications of the MZO to two tier governments (like the Region of Waterloo) across the province were clear and this MZO has certainly faced a major set-back. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">However, the developers are desperate and will return. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I have to assume that dozens of people watching last night were other developers, government officials from other areas, and community groups from across the province. Already today the videostream of the meeting has had over 1,100 views which is significantly higher than the norm of 20 to 80 views of most other Wilmot meetings on YouTube. The Record already has an article out and there was good coverage of the meeting on 570News radio this morning:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2022/01/04/developer-behind-wilmot-mzo-peppered-with-questions-at-council-meeting.html" class="">https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2022/01/04/developer-behind-wilmot-mzo-peppered-with-questions-at-council-meeting.html</a></div><div class=""><br class=""><div class="">The next Wilmot MZO meeting on January 17th is being pushed to February 14th because we raised so many issues it was felt there was no way that the developers could adequately address them all in just two weeks. There will be a final vote on February 28th. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">Next Steps</b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">1) Questions to Developers -</b> We need to get as many questions as possible to the developer to address through the Township Clerk. You can e-mail the Wilmot clerks at: <a href="mailto:clerks@wilmot.ca" class="">clerks@wilmot.ca</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">2) Councillors and MPP -</b> Please also send a copy of your questions, comments and concerns to Wilmot Councillors and MPP Mike Harris Jr. - addresses below.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">3) Social Media and Awareness -</b> We need to do a better job at getting information to the entire community, increasing engagement. This could include social media such as Facebook and Twitter and continuing to work with area groups like Hold the Line, Nith Ecoboosters, 30x50WR, etc. Please let me know if you can help with any of this.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Hopefully the extremely strong message being sent will derail this MZO that could have such far-reaching consequences to our Offical Plan and good planning processes across the province.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Cheers,</div><div class="">Kevin.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div><div class="">——————————————————</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class=""><b class="">1) Contact Information</b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class="">The Wilmot Township Clerk can be reached at: <a href="mailto:clerks@wilmot.ca" class="">clerks@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 634-8444 x9228</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Wilmot Township Planning Staff can be reached at: <a href="mailto:harold.okrafka@wilmot.ca" class="">harold.okrafka@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 634-8519 x9236</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">New Wilmot Township CAO Sharon Chambers can be reached at: <a href="mailto:sharon.chambers@wilmot.ca" class="">sharon.chambers@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 634-8519 x9237</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The Wilmot Councillors can be reached at:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Les Armstrong - Mayor - <a href="mailto:les.armstrong@wilmot.ca" class="">les.armstrong@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 634-8519 x9231</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Angie Hallman - Ward 1 - <a href="mailto:angie.hallman@wilmot.ca" class="">angie.hallman@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 998-3983</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Cheryl Gordijk - Ward 2 - <a href="mailto:cheryl.gordijk@wilmot.ca" class="">cheryl.gordijk@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 998-8317</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Barry Fisher - Ward 3 - <a href="mailto:barry.fisher@wilmot.ca" class="">barry.fisher@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 807-8597</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Jeff Gerber - Ward 4 - <a href="mailto:jeff.gerber@wilmot.ca" class="">jeff.gerber@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 496-5769</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Jennifer Pfenning - Ward 4 - <a href="mailto:jennifer.pfenning@wilmot.ca" class="">jennifer.pfenning@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 998-6029</div></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Provincial Conservative MPP Mike Harris Jr. - <u class=""><font color="#3a88fe" class=""><a href="mailto:mike.harris@pc.ola.org" class="">mike.harris@pc.ola.org</a></font></u> or (519) 669-2090</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">2) Link to the Wilmot Special Council Meeting Youtube Video:</b></div><div class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xOJ90Xe3nU" class="">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xOJ90Xe3nU</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">3) My Presentation to Wilmot Council Outlining Key Issues</b></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div></body></html>