<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="">After three years of community meetings, open houses, presentations and so many letters, e-mails and phone calls we are down to the final vote on the Regional Official Plan this coming Thursday, August 18th at 5pm. <div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">While the ROP was initially approved 12 to 2 by the Regional Planning and Works Committee last week, developers along with land speculators and the KW Chamber of Commerce continue to do all that they can to oppose this bold, visionary plan we need for the future.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">It is particularly unfortunate to see Ian McLean the President of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce threatening to request the Premier and Minister of Municipal Affairs intervene to override this plan and destroy additional farmland for unnecessary urban sprawl. This ROP with its focus on sustainability, active transportation, public transit, walkable 15 minute communities, and housing affordability is clearly in the best public interest and has been receiving strong support throughout the Region. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The Chamber has not been able to produce any data or evidence to support their claims of a dire low density greenfield home shortage in Waterloo and are out of synch with the thousands of citizens calling for more sustainable, affordable housing choices. Instead they are demanding more urban sprawl and low density single detached homes that few can afford but that are so profitable for their developer members.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Waterloo Region has always been a planning leader in Ontario with our unique plans that have brought us the Countryside Line, the Protected Countryside, LRT, core renewal, and so many other innovations that have lead to our success. One would hope the Chamber would be supportive and not one of the biggest opponents. We can’t risk the province overriding our local planning and destroying our local farms for unsustainable and unnecessary sprawl.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Please call the Chamber or e-mail Ian directly to express your concerns and urge them to stop opposing the ROP, stop threatening to bring in the Premier, and encourage them instead to join with people throughout our Region supporting this much needed made in Waterloo plan for our community, sustainability, and climate change.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">We should also write to thank Regional Staff for the years of work that has gone into this plan - in-particular how they continually responded to our concerns and ultimately developed this globally leading plan as well as we should continue to encourage Regional Councillors to vote unanimously to approve it on Thursday.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Sincerely,</div><div class="">Kevin.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">-----------------------------------</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">1) Contact the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce</b> to show your support for the ROP and tell Ian McLean to stop threatening to call in the Premier to override our community plan:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="mailto:admin@greaterkwchamber.com" class="">admin@greaterkwchamber.com</a> - please request that your communitcations be shared with the Board of Directors as well</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="mailto:imclean@greaterkwchamber.com" class="">imclean@greaterkwchamber.com</a></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Phone: 519-576-5000</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class=""><b class="">2</b></span><b class="">) Contact Regional Councillors -</b> Show Your Support and Speak Up for the Future You Want to See:</div><div class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class="">Write all Regional Councillors at: <a href="mailto:regionalcouncillors@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">regionalcouncillors@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Or contact individual Councillors at:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Karen Redman (Regional Chair) - <a href="mailto:kredman@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">kredman@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Kathryn McGarry (Mayor, Cambridge) - <a href="mailto:kmcgarry@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">kmcgarry@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Karl Kiefer (Regional Councillor, Cambridge) - <a href="mailto:kkiefer@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">kkiefer@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Helen Jowett (Regional Councillor, Cambridge) - <a href="mailto:hjowett@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">hjowett@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Berry Vrbanovic (Mayor, Kitchener) - <a href="mailto:bvrbanovic@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">bvrbanovic@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Tom Galloway (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - <a href="mailto:tgalloway@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">tgalloway@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Geoff Lorentz (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - <a href="mailto:glorentz@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">glorentz@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Michael D. Harris (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - <a href="mailto:mharris@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">mharris@regionofwaterloo.ca</a> - voted against ROP last week</div><div class="">Elizabeth Clarke (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - <a href="mailto:eclarke@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">eclarke@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Dave Jaworsky (Mayor, City of Waterloo) - <a href="mailto:djaworsky@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">djaworsky@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Jim Erb (Regional Councillor, City of Waterloo) - <a href="mailto:jerb@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">jerb@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Sean Strickland (Regional Councillor, City of Waterloo) - <a href="mailto:sstrickland@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">sstrickland@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Les Armstrong (Mayor, Wilmot Township) - <a href="mailto:larmstrong@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">larmstrong@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Joe Nowak (Mayor, Wellesley Township) - <a href="mailto:jnowak@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">jnowak@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Sandy Shantz (Mayor, Woolwich Township) - <a href="mailto:sshantz@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">sshantz@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Sue Foxton (Mayor, North Dumfries Township) - <a href="mailto:sfoxton@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">sfoxton@regionofwaterloo.ca</a> - voted against ROP last week</div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">3) Thank Regional Staff at:</b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Bruce Lauckner - CAO - <a href="mailto:blauckner@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">blauckner@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Rod Reiger - Commissioner - Planning, Development and Legislative Services - <a href="mailto:rregier@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">rregier@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Danielle DeFields - Director, Community Planning and Development - <a href="mailto:DDeFields@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">DDeFields@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Brenna MacKinnon - Manager, Development Planning - <a href="mailto:bmackinnon@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">bmackinnon@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Cushla Matthews - Principal Planner - <a href="mailto:CMatthews@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">CMatthews@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">John Lubczynski - Principal Planner - <a href="mailto:jlubczynski@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">jlubczynski@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Kate Daley - Environmental Sustainability Specialist - <a href="mailto:KDaley@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">KDaley@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">4) Watch this historic Special Council Meeting</b> that will determine so much about our next 30 years online on Thursday at 5pm at:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgeIpH-3_AjIgxKJJBMdwDA" class="">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgeIpH-3_AjIgxKJJBMdwDA</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Regional Council won’t be allowing any delegations at this final meeting but everyone is encouraged to send written submissions.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">-------------------------------------</div><div class=""><div class=""><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class="">Kevin Thomason<br class=""><br class="">1115 Cedar Grove Road<br class="">Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2J 3Z4<br class=""><br class="">Phone: (519) 888-0519<br class="">Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648<br class="">Twitter: @kthomason<br class=""><a href="mailto:kevinthomason@mac.com" class="">E-mail: kevinthomason@mac.com</a><br class=""><br class="">-----------------------------------------</div></div></div></div>
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