<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Good Day,</div><div><br></div><div>The Fight For Farmland calls out Tony LaMantia and the Waterloo Region Economic Corporation over so many misleading claims and statements, there’s breaking news on Highway #413, Doug Ford announces new provincial red tape to hamper essential bike lanes, and there’s lots of upcoming events/activities around the Grand River Watershed. Join us on Zoom on Friday at 5:30pm to discuss and learn more:</div><div><br></div><div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Join us tomorrow - Friday, October 18th at 5:30pm:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz0</a></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div>Here’s the latest:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>1) Fight For Farmland Calls Out EDC - </b></span>Significant media attention continued this week including more front page news coverage as the Fight For Farmland group called out misinformation and truly misleading statements from Tony LaMantia and the Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation. You can read the Fight For Farmland press release at the following link:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/65fca845277db5669ac677f7/t/67073474a6a1cb7490c2a4b7/1728525428615/PRESS+RELEASE+-+OCTOBER+9.pdf">https://static1.squarespace.com/static/65fca845277db5669ac677f7/t/67073474a6a1cb7490c2a4b7/1728525428615/PRESS+RELEASE+-+OCTOBER+9.pdf</a></div><div><br></div><div>Media coverage continues including:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Farms.com - Fight For Farmland Challenges Tony LaMantia’s Statements Advocating Wilmot Land Assembly:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://m.farms.com/news/fight-for-farmland-challenges-tony-lamantia-s-statements-advocating-wilmot-land-assembly-218629.aspx">https://m.farms.com/news/fight-for-farmland-challenges-tony-lamantia-s-statements-advocating-wilmot-land-assembly-218629.aspx</a></div><div><div><br></div></div><div>And listen to Alfred Lowrick, Spokesperson for Fight For Farmland on the Mike Farwell Show on 570News on Friday (tomorrow) at 9:30am.</div><div><br></div><div>There was also excellent front-page coverage in The Record on the impact on surrounding farms:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Record - “It’s Not Just The 770 Acres. What Happens To Our Farm?”:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.therecord.com/opinion/columnists/its-not-just-the-770-acres-what-happens-to-our-farm/article_ae626c76-fe3b-5a3e-9ed2-2d409af30375.html">https://www.therecord.com/opinion/columnists/its-not-just-the-770-acres-what-happens-to-our-farm/article_ae626c76-fe3b-5a3e-9ed2-2d409af30375.html</a></div><div><div><br></div></div><div>As well the media continued to cover the NDP speaking up against the Wilmot Land Assembly and demanding the provincial government abandon this absurd mega-industrial scheme:</div><div><br></div><div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>CityNews - Agriculture Minister Grilled On the Province’s Role In Wilmot Land Acquisition:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/10/11/agriculture-minister-grilled-on-the-provinces-role-in-wilmot-land-acquisition/">https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/10/11/agriculture-minister-grilled-on-the-provinces-role-in-wilmot-land-acquisition/</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Record - No Government Should Expropriate Farmland, Says NDP Critic:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/no-government-should-expropriate-farmland-says-ndp-critic/article_e9dd95bf-df18-5312-826a-bc3eec9c002e.html">https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/no-government-should-expropriate-farmland-says-ndp-critic/article_e9dd95bf-df18-5312-826a-bc3eec9c002e.html</a></div><div><br></div><div>There were also many more great Letters To The Editor including:</div><div><br></div><div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Record - We Need Jobs - Not On Fertile Farmland:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/oct-11-appeasing-world-dictators-always-comes-with-a-price-jobs-shouldnt-come-at-the/article_deb2e032-3a3a-552a-a743-87ceb6dbc680.html">https://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/oct-11-appeasing-world-dictators-always-comes-with-a-price-jobs-shouldnt-come-at-the/article_deb2e032-3a3a-552a-a743-87ceb6dbc680.html</a></div></div><div><br></div><div><b>Action Required - </b>Please keep speaking up and watch for more push back against the EDC campaign, advertisements, and actions trying to justify this Wilmot Land Assembly that still hasn’t even had a single public meeting, nor any studies/reports, or even the most basic concerns addressed.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">2) Federal Government Denies Any Involvement In Wilmot Land Assembly -</b> Local Liberal Member of Parliament Tim Louis released a flyer and a video making support for agriculture, the need for farmland protection and the lack of any federal involvement in the Wilmot Land Assembly very clear. In fact, Tim Louis states that unlike municipal, regional, and provincial elected officials, he is under no Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and is able to talk freely about things - but that he doesn’t know anything more than the community knows.</div><div><br></div><div>Watch his video firsthand at: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/801572098651345">https://www.facebook.com/reel/801572098651345</a></div><div><div><br></div></div><div><div><b>Action Required -</b> We need to keep writing and calling MPP Mike Harris Jr, Cabinet Ministers, and the Premier to reinforce we are an UNWILLING community who knows that the province is leading this land assembly effort despite their attempts to foist the blame on others.</div><div><br></div></div><div><br></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">3) Upcoming Council Meetings on Monday and Wednesday -</b> This coming week there is a Monday (Oct 21st) Wilmot Council Meeting where we hope there will at least be a General Interest delegation or two on the Wilmot Land Assembly. Please register to speak with the Wilmot Clerk at clerks@wilmot.ca if you can speak about your concerns with the proposal and how it will impact you and your family. We will take a break from protesting at Wilmot Council this month but hope that you will join us on Wednesday (Oct 23rd) at 6:30pm to protest in advance of the Region of Waterloo Council meeting and then join us inside Council Chambers at 7pm for delegations in support of the Fight For Farmland as well as to push back on delegations from Ian McLean at the KW Chamber of Commerce advocating for this mega-industrial site that still hasn’t had a single public meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>The Shredding Of The Corn Staff Report is also on the Regional Agenda to be discussed as we learn more about the status of the unprecedented and mysterious provincial NDA. Given the Premier’s own statements recently at the International Plowing Match about his concerns regarding the lack of transparency, it is hoped that the government will finally stop hiding and not be afraid of the proper transparency such as massive, community changing initiative requires.</div><div><br></div><div>Details for the meetings are as follows:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Wilmot Township Council: 60 Snyder’s Road West, Baden - </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Monday, October 21st - Council Meeting starts at 7:00 pm</span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="white-space: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Region of Waterloo Council Meeting: 150 Fredrick Street East, Kitchener - </b>Wednesday, October 23rd - 6:30pm Rally & Protest, Council Meeting starts at 7:00pm</div><div style="white-space: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><br></div><div style="white-space: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Questionable comments from the Wilmot Mayor </b>- It was intriguing to see Mayor Natasha Salonen make the following comment this past week regarding the Erb’s Road Shelter for those experiencing homelessness:</div><div style="white-space: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><br></div><div style="white-space: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“I really don’t have great faith in the Region proceeding as an effective landowner in Wilmot.” </div><div style="white-space: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><br></div><div style="white-space: normal; font-family: Helvetica;">And then the Mayor listed a very long list of concerns about the Region of Waterloo. If she can have so many concerns about a simple one acre cluster of tiny homes on the extreme edge of Wilmot that is being expertly run by the amazing team at The Working Centre on land that has been owned by the Region for decades, how can the Mayor be so supportive of this massive Regional land assembly for this mega-industrial site that is exponentially more complex and challenging with so many potential issues and so little information?</div><div style="white-space: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><br></div></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-weight: 700; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lawn signs -</span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Demand for lawn signs continues to be strong with many more lawn signs distributed this past week. New colour and black & white signs have arrived as we surpass more than 4,100 signs in the community. Find a Sign Captain close to you at <a href="http://www.fightforfarmland.com/">www.fightforfarmland.com</a> and continue to show that our communities are unwilling!</span></div><div><div><br></div><div><b>Action Required -</b> Please write and call elected officials to state your concerns and ensure as many lawn signs are up in our communities as possible to show that We Are Unwilling!!!.</div></div></div><div><br></div></div><div><div><br></div><div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">4) Rebels With A Cause - Princess Film Festival Night - </b>On Monday October 28th plan to attend a special Fight For Farmland movie night at the Princess Cinema in Uptown Waterloo as part of the Laurier Wellbeing Film Forum (LWIFF). Join Fight For Farmland and LWIFF for a free screening of Rebels With A Cause by Nancy Kelly and Kenji Yamamoto followed by a community discussion regarding the proposed Wilmot mega-industrial development and what it would mean for the future of Waterloo Region.</div><div><br></div><div>Rebels With A Cause is about how starting in the 1950’s a ragtag group of citizens banded together to protect open spaces near urban areas from rampant development. This documentary is narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Frances McDormand and shows the power passionate individuals have to influence an entire nation while setting precedents that shaped the environmental movement as we know it today.</div><div><br></div><div>Advance registration for this free screening is required to guarantee entrance. Please sign up for free at:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rebels-with-a-cause-free-film-screening-discussion-tickets-1038678975777?aff=oddtdtcreator">https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rebels-with-a-cause-free-film-screening-discussion-tickets-1038678975777?aff=oddtdtcreator</a></div><div><div><br></div></div><div>A poster is attached below and watch for future updates and on Instagram at: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/00lwiff/">https://www.instagram.com/00lwiff/</a></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-bc508564-7fff-8e31-6786-c8e06af88cae"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; font-size: 14px;"><b>*** Breaking News - 5) New Information On Highway 413 And A Surprise New Act Announced Today To Bypass Environmental Reviews And Commence Construction - </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Information has been released through Freedom of Information Requests from both Environmental Defence and The Narwhal. Learn more in the following articles:</span></p><div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Narwhal - What The Federal Government Really Thinks About Ontario’s Highway #413:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://thenarwhal.ca/highway-413-federal-feedback/">https://thenarwhal.ca/highway-413-federal-feedback/</a></div></div><div><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Environmental Defence - Federal Impact Assessment Staff Voiced Concern Over Ontario’s Approach to Protecting Key Values Threatened by Highway 413 Project:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><a href="https://environmentaldefence.ca/2024/10/16/federal-impact-assessment-staff-voiced-significant-concern-over-ontarios-approach-to-protecting-key-values-threatened-by-highway-413-project/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://environmentaldefence.ca/2024/10/16/federal-impact-assessment-staff-voiced-significant-concern-over-ontarios-approach-to-protecting-key-values-threatened-by-highway-413-project/</span></a></p></span></div><div><div><br></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-22a266ea-7fff-cbc6-85e0-edb6f38d8cb8"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BREAKING NEWS! - The Province of Ontario just announced </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Building Highways Faster Act To Get Drivers Moving Act this afternoon which designates priority highway projects to “speed up construction” including Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass, and twinning the Garden City Skyway Bridge (QEW bridge over the Welland Canal, in St Catharines). This involves creating an “accelerated environmental assessment process for Highway 413” and will also </span><span style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">streamline utility relocations</span><span style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">accelerate access to property and property acquisitions,</span><span style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and introduce new penalties for obstructing access for field investigations or damaging equipment:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Government Of Ontario Press Release - Ontario Building Highways Faster To Get Drivers Moving:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><a href="https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005191/ontario-building-highways-faster-to-get-drivers-moving" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005191/ontario-building-highways-faster-to-get-drivers-moving</span></a></p></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div>This press release acknowledges that all 400-series highways in the GTHA including Highway 407 will be at or exceeding capacity within the next decade - but ironically does nothing to suggest any solutions for the traffic gridlock on all these area highways. The answer is simple - get people out of cars and moving on vastly improved public transit, active transportation such as bike lanes, and high speed rail - all of which the Doug Ford provincial government has done everything possible to prevent and circumvent.</div><div><br></div><div>Here’s some breaking media coverage:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Trillium - PCs To Reduce Environmental Assessment, Allow 24/7 Construction On HWY 413:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/municipalities-transit-and-infrastructure/pcs-to-reduce-environment-assessment-allow-247-construction-on-hwy-413-9671887?utm_source=Villager&utm_campaign=Content&utm_medium=Twitter">https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/municipalities-transit-and-infrastructure/pcs-to-reduce-environment-assessment-allow-247-construction-on-hwy-413-9671887</a></div><div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Toronto Star - Ford Government Aims To Fast-Track Construction Of Highway #413, Bradford Bypass, And Garden City Skyway:</div><div dir="auto"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/ford-government-aims-to-fast-track-construction-of-highway-413-bradford-bypass-and-garden-city/article_67327d9e-8c90-11ef-8b42-a7114ce6afde.html">https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/ford-government-aims-to-fast-track-construction-of-highway-413-bradford-bypass-and-garden-city/article_67327d9e-8c90-11ef-8b42-a7114ce6afde.html</a></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">It’s worrth noting, as @TDotResident pointed out, there is not yet a plan or cost estimate that have been made public for Hwy 413 - <a href="https://x.com/tdotresident/status/1846997398125482356?s=46&t=XLYcxxaKfwXm7EGqQ-olxw">https://x.com/tdotresident/status/1846997398125482356?s=46&t=XLYcxxaKfwXm7EGqQ-olxw</a></div><div dir="auto"><br></div></div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>6) Greenbelt Scandal Continues To Have Impacts -</b></span> It is now a year since the RCMP launched their investigation into the Greenbelt Scandal and there continues to be impacts and fallout as the Ex-Minister Kaleed Rasheed who was forced out of the PC Caucus and demoted after massages with one of the key developers in the scandal announced that he will not seek re-election. It had become apparent in recent months despite all his efforts that he would not be welcomed back into the Conservative Caucus.</div><div><br></div><div>However, Ex-Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark got another promotion and pay increase despite his pivotal role in the Greenbelt Scandal. Read more about these stories in the articles below:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Trillium - Ex-Minister Who Was In Las Vegas With Developer Won’t Run For Re-Election:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/politics/ex-minister-who-went-on-vegas-trip-with-developer-wont-run-for-re-election-9650055">https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/politics/ex-minister-who-went-on-vegas-trip-with-developer-wont-run-for-re-election-9650055</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Trillium - Ford Gives New Responsibility, Small Pay Bump To MPP Who Oversaw Greenbelt Removals:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/politics/ex-minister-who-went-on-vegas-trip-with-developer-wont-run-for-re-election-9650055">https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Toronto Star - Doug Ford Needs To Come Clean About Greenbelt Scandal, Opposition Says - RCMP investigating European bank accounts:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-needs-to-come-clean-about-greenbelt-scandal-opposition-says/article_5f0c96f2-870b-11ef-8920-e333cf437a37.html">https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-needs-to-come-clean-about-greenbelt-scandal-opposition-says/article_5f0c96f2-870b-11ef-8920-e333cf437a37.html</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">7) Doug Ford Creates More Red Tape By Regulating Bike Lanes - </b>In a confounding move the province is demanding that municipalities will soon require provincial approval for new municipal bike lanes and that considerable data will need to be provided by the municipality showing there will be no impact on automobile traffic. In an era of global climate change and declining health where it is clear that we have to reduce fossil fuel use and improve human activity levels it is unbelievable that Doug Ford would seek to reduce active transportation while promoting more unsustainable automobile use on our already gridlocked roads. We need more efficient ways to more more people and so many leading cities around the world such as Paris, Amsterdam, Singapore, and elsewhere are showing firsthand the benefits of bicycles and the many positive outcomes. Learn more in the following articles:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>CBC - Legislation To Limit Bike Lanes Will Be Introduced In Coming Weeks:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bike-lanes-legislation-ontario-ford-sarkaria-1.7352228">https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bike-lanes-legislation-ontario-ford-sarkaria-1.7352228</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>CambridgeToday.ca - Concern Over Province’s Plan To Restrict Bike Lanes On City Streets Gains Momentum:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.cambridgetoday.ca/local-news/concern-over-provinces-plan-to-restrict-bike-lanes-on-city-streets-gains-momentum-9658148">https://www.cambridgetoday.ca/local-news/concern-over-provinces-plan-to-restrict-bike-lanes-on-city-streets-gains-momentum-9658148</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Record - Ontario To Give Itself Veto Power Over City Bike Lanes, Worsening Gridlock:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.therecord.com/news/ontario/ontario-to-give-itself-veto-power-over-city-bike-lanes-citing-worsening-gridlock/article_22320230-c7e4-55fa-8e7e-132d30f34541.html">https://www.therecord.com/news/ontario/ontario-to-give-itself-veto-power-over-city-bike-lanes-citing-worsening-gridlock/article_22320230-c7e4-55fa-8e7e-132d30f34541.html</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Canada’s National Observer - City of Toronto And Advocates Defend Bike Lanes From Ford Government Legislation:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/10/16/news/city-toronto-advocates-bike-lanes-ford-government-legislation">https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/10/16/news/city-toronto-advocates-bike-lanes-ford-government-legislation</a></div><div><br></div><div>***** Breaking News - The Trillium - Premier Ford Promises To Tear Out Existing Bike Lanes:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>https://www.thetrillium.ca</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Tories Anti-bike Stance Heats Up As Potential Snap Election Looms - It looks like Doug Ford is doubling down and really trying to anger people while distracting from other issues….</div><div><br></div><div>Tunnel Vision - And another absurd idea for a Highway 401 Tunnel from our Premier who doesn’t seem to mind wasting tax payer dollars on feasibility studies for projects that don't even appear to be grounded in reality is clearly spelled out in this detailed article from The Pointer:</div><div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Pointer - Doug Ford’s Highway 401 Tunnel Scheme Is Latest Disconnect From Environmental Realities:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://thepointer.com/article/2024-10-14/doug-ford-s-highway-401-tunnel-scheme-latest-disconnect-from-environmental-realities">https://thepointer.com/article/2024-10-14/doug-ford-s-highway-401-tunnel-scheme-latest-disconnect-from-environmental-realities</a></div></div><div><br></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;"><br></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">8) Recent Articles -</b> Includes even more unbelievable schemes to waste taxpayer money while buying votes, huge legal costs incurred by the government fighting our own public sector workers, Catholic School Board Trustees spending tens of thousands of dollars on a trip to Italy to buy artwork for schools, and the NDP demand an investigation of Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The <span style="font-size: 9pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toronto Star - Doug Ford Poised To send Pre-Election Cheques To 16 Million Ontarians (exact amount TBD, estimated to be at least $200 per person - that’s $3.2 B!!):</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 9pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-poised-to-send-out-pre-election-cheques-to-16-million-ontarians/article_87a56eaa-8b2e-11ef-8b0a-3b68e949aa70.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-poised-to-send-out-pre-election-cheques-to-16-million-ontarians/article_87a56eaa-8b2e-11ef-8b0a-3b68e949aa70.html</span></a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Just Posted - The Toronto Star - Doug Ford Wants To Buy Your Silence:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/doug-ford-wants-to-buy-your-silence/article_319359b6-8cc1-11ef-aecc-3fa29ef06663.html">https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/doug-ford-wants-to-buy-your-silence/article_319359b6-8cc1-11ef-aecc-3fa29ef06663.html</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Canada’s National Observer - Using Social Media To Explain The Climate Crisis:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/10/08/opinion/youth-climate-socialmedia-karishma-porwal">https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/10/08/opinion/youth-climate-socialmedia-karishma-porwal</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>TVO Today - Governments Add Red Tape To Stuff They Want To Suffocate - Housing And Bike Lanes:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.tvo.org/article/opinion-governments-add-red-tape-to-stuff-they-want-to-suffocate-housing-and-bike-lanes">https://www.tvo.org/article/opinion-governments-add-red-tape-to-stuff-they-want-to-suffocate-housing-and-bike-lanes</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Toronto Star - Doug Ford Poised To Send Put Pre-Election Cheques To 16 Million Ontarians:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-poised-to-send-out-pre-election-cheques-to-16-million-ontarians/article_87a56eaa-8b2e-11ef-8b0a-3b68e949aa70.html">https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-poised-to-send-out-pre-election-cheques-to-16-million-ontarians/article_87a56eaa-8b2e-11ef-8b0a-3b68e949aa70.html</a></div><div><br></div><div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Triilium (Charlie Pinkerton) - NDP leader Marit Stiles requested Integrity Commissioner investigation of Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma for possible violation of ethics law (preferential treatment of Therme re: Ontario Place):</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><a href="https://x.com/charliepinkerto/status/1846890441133687128?s=46&t=XLYcxxaKfwXm7EGqQ-olxw" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://x.com/charliepinkerto/status/1846890441133687128?s=46&t=XLYcxxaKfwXm7EGqQ-olxw</span></a></p><div><br></div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Canada’s National Observer - David Moscorp - Doug Ford’s Private Gravy Train Adds New Passengers:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/10/17/opinion/doug-ford-MPP-assistants-raises">https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/10/17/opinion/doug-ford-MPP-assistants-raises</a></div><div><br></div><div><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-size: 14px;">9) Provincial Speaker Ted Arnott, MPP for Wellington - Halton Hills To Retire -</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> Long-time local MPP Ted Arnott has </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">announced he will not run in the next Ontario election ending decades as MPP for Wellington-Halton Hills and Official Speaker for the Legislature:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><a href="https://x.com/MPPArnottWHH/status/1846252903113056357" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://x.com/MPPArnottWHH/status/1846252903113056357</span></a></p></div><div><br></div><div><div><br></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">10) Canada Transit Action Week - </b>It is Canada Transit Action Week with activities happening across Canada. Join the Tritag event in Waterloo at the Waterloo Town Square this coming Saturday, October 19th and speak up for the transit system you would like to see:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Tri-Cities Transit Action Group - October 19th Event:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://tritag.ca/">https://tritag.ca/</a></div><div><br></div><div>Learn more about events happening across Canada at: <a href="https://environmentaldefence.ca/transit-action-week/">https://environmentaldefence.ca/transit-action-week/</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">11) MP Mike Morrice Petition For Better Rail Transit - </b>Kitchener MP Mike Morrice has a federal House Of Commons Petition to advocate for better rail transit to Waterloo Region - in-particular two way, all day GO Train service. Sign it online and show your support at:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-5163">https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-5163</a></div><div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div><br></div></div><div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">12) CAPE - Tipping Points For Planetary Health Virtual Conference - </b>The Canadian Association of Physicians For The Environment (CAPE) is holding a full day virtual seminar on building a healthy planetary future together on Saturday, October 26th. Learn more and register at:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://ubccpd.ca/learn/learning-activities/course?eventtemplate=824-climate-emergency-tipping-points-for-planetary-health">https://ubccpd.ca/learn/learning-activities/course?eventtemplate=824-climate-emergency-tipping-points-for-planetary-health</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: 14px;">13) Climate Emergency Vigil This Friday! </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">-</span></b><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 14px;"> </span>This Friday, Oct 18th, Faith Climate Justice Waterloo Region will be hosting a public climate emergency vigil in Waterloo Public Square, free for all to attend. These vigils build on the power of the 16 vigils hosted last fall, and are designed to create sacred spaces to process complex climate emotions together, to reflect, and to share opportunities for action leading up to the Conference of the Parties climate talks, COP29 happening in November. Spread the word and we hope you will join us. For more information see the poster attached below or visit:</div><div><h3 style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.faithclimatejustice.ca/climate-vigils.html">https://www.faithclimatejustice.ca/clim</a><a href="https://www.faithclimatejustice.ca/climate-vigils.html">ate-vigils.html</a></h3></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>14) Reform Gravel Webinar - Tuesday, October 22nd at 7pm - </b></span>Join advocates on the front lines of the fight against a gravel rush that is impacting all of Ontario. Learn from West Grey residents confronting three simultaneous pit applications and from renown lawyer David Donnelly. Please RSVP to attend:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/gravel-rush-webinar">https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/gravel-rush-webinar</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">15) Basic Income Waterloo Region Meeting - November 6th, 20224 from 7pm to 8:30pm -</b> Joins folks from Basic Income Waterloo Region to learn more about Basic Income, how it would work, and success stories from other locales. The meeting will happen at the John M. Harper Branch of the Waterloo Public Library. Learn more at: </div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Basic Income Waterloo Region:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="http://www.biwr.ca/">http://www.biwr.ca/</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>16) Ontario Farmland Trust Webinars Return -</b></span> Join Ontario Farmland Trust for a series of upcoming webinars on farmland protection, species at risk, farming with conservation in mind and more. Learn more at:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ontario Farmland Trust Webinars:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://ontariofarmlandtrust.ca/">https://ontariofarmlandtrust.ca/</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>17) Other Articles -</b></span> Include High School students keeping our rivers clean, large legal bills taxpayers are on the hook for, and other wasteful spending:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Narwhal - Two High School Students Want To Keep Trash Out Of The Great Lakes. They Think Rivers Are The Key:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-river-trash-great-lakes/">https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-river-trash-great-lakes/</a></div><div><br></div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><div><div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Global News - Ontario Taxpayers Fork Over $4.3 Million To Settle Legal Costs In Bill 124 Cases:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/10811820/ontario-legal-costs-bill-124/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; text-wrap-mode: wrap;">https://globalnews.ca/news/10811820/ontario-legal-costs-bill-124/</span></a></p><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The province lost two court cases defending a wage-cap law that was struck down as unconstitutional. The province has so far paid out $6.7 billion for retroactive pay increases to broader public sector workers after the law was struck down.</span><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Expositor - Catholic Trustees Travel To Italy To Buy $100,000 Worth Of Artwork For New High School (and billed travel expenses of more than $45k for 4 trustees for one week for flights, meals & accommodations):</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><a href="https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/local-news/catholic-trustees-travel-to-italy-to-buy-100000-worth-of-artwork-for-new-high-school" style="font-size: 9pt; white-space: pre-wrap; text-decoration: none;">https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/local-news/catholic-trustees-travel-to-italy-to-buy-100000-worth-of-artwork-for-new-high-school</a></p></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">18) Finally Some Good News - Ontario Youth Win In Court Today In Landmark Climate Case -</b> It’s fantastic to see Ontario’s top court ruling in favour of seven youth who challenged the provincial government over greenhouse gas emissions. The court sent the case back to the lower courts where the Ford government will have to answer for its climate record:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Toronto Star - “This is a David vs. Goliath Fight:” Ontario Court Allows Appeal In Landmark Youth-Led Climate Case:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/this-is-a-david-vs-goliath-fight-ontario-court-allows-appeal-in-landmark-youth-led/article_f765aee6-8c94-11ef-b16e-93428bbd30f6.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/this-is-a-david-vs-goliath-fight-ontario-court-allows-appeal-in-landmark-youth-led/article_f765aee6-8c94-11ef-b16e-93428bbd30f6.html</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">19) Reminder - Next Meeting</b><b><span style="font-size: 14px;"> -</span></b> Join us tomorrow <span dir="ltr">Friday, October 18th</span> at 5:30pm online at the Zoom link below:</div><div><div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><br></div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Topic: Grand River Watershed Bill 23 Bi-Weekly Zoom Meeting</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Time: Every Other <span dir="ltr">Friday at 5:30pm EST</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Join Zoom Meeting</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09</a></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Meeting ID: <span dir="ltr">826 4469 5701</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span dir="ltr">Passcode: 713374</span></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Thanks for all the great efforts so far - please share any questions or ideas.</div><div><div id="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770yqtfd24641" class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770yqt1303954863"><br clear="none"><div dir="ltr"><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000Apple-style-span">Cheers,</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);">Kevin Thomason, Mike Marcolongo, and Joan Faux on behalf of all our community groups.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">-----------------------------------</b></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#26282a" face="Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><b style="font-size: 14px;">A) </b></font></span><b style="color: rgb(38, 40, 42); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Upcoming Events </b><span style="color: rgb(38, 40, 42); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">- Get out and get involved! And keep us posted on your events so we can share them:</span></div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><br></div></div></div></div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><div><div><b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friday, October 18th at 5:30pm -<font color="#26282a"> Next group update meeting on Zoom -</font><font color="#0056d6"> </font></span><font color="#0056d6" style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09</a></font></b></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><div>Friday, October 18th - 8pm - Climate Emergency Vigils - Waterloo Town Square - <a href="https://www.faithclimatejustice.ca/climate-vigils.html">https://www.faithclimatejustice.ca/climate-vigils.html</a></div></div><div><br></div><div>Monday, October 21st - 7pm - Wilmot Council Meeting - Support The Fight For Farmland - www.fightforfarmland.com</div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div>Tuesday, October 22nd, 7pm - Reform Gravel - Gravel Rush Seminar - <a href="https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/gravel-rush-webinar">https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/gravel-rush-webinar</a></div><div><br></div><div>Wednesday, October 23rd, 6:30pm - Region of Waterloo Council Meeting - Support The Fight For Farmland - www.fightforfarmland.com</div><div><br></div><div>Saturday, October 26th - All Day - CAPE Virtual Planetary Health Conference - <a href="https://ubccpd.ca/learn/learning-activities/course?eventtemplate=824-climate-emergency-tipping-points-for-planetary-health">https://ubccpd.ca/learn/learning-activities/course?eventtemplate=824-climate-emergency-tipping-points-for-planetary-health</a></div></div><div><br><div>Monday, October 28th, 6:30pm - Fight For Farmland/Laurier Film Festival Movie Night At Princess Cinemas - See poster below</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>--------------------------</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">B) Fight For Farmland - Response to EDC’s Three Reasons The Wilmot Land Assembly Has To Happen: </b></div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Tony LaMantia, CEO of the Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation state the following three points in italics followed by responses correcting the misinformation:</span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">Here are three reasons the Wilmot land assembly has to happen:</span></i><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">1) We’ve had the lowest industrial vacancy rate in Canada for years. This is a big problem - we’ve missed out on billions in investment and thousands of jobs.</span></i><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">This is not true. According to the Region of Waterloo’s own studies our industrial vacancy rate has averaged 2.6%, several times higher than most GTAH municipalities that average only a 0.6% industrial vacancy rate. We currently have several million square feet of industrial and commercial buildings sitting vacant in Waterloo Region, and we have entire industrial parks such as Waterloo’s Generation Park and Wilmot’s Industrial Park that have yet to sell a single lot in decades despite being shovel-ready and on the market with hundreds of acres of industrial lands and room for dozens of major companies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>2) Wilmot is the best option, it’s flat, close to transportation routes, far from our water sources and represents just 0.35% of the Region’s farmland. This isn’t a food scarcity issue.</b></span></i><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">Wilmot is not the best option and it appears that not only were no other sites considered but proper studies haven’t even been completed yet for this site that is contrary to our Regional Official Plan, the Wilmot Official Plan, and all previous Master Plans as well as in violation of the Countryside Line and other significant farmland protection regulations. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">The site is not flat as there is more than 6 storeys of elevation change from one end of the site to the other and it is directly adjacent to some of the hilliest parts of Waterloo Region - greatly complicating needed rail spur construction. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">The site is far from Highway #401 with no easy access to it, only a single highway reaches this distant site, and more than 80% of local municipal roads only being tar & chip are not suitable for large traffic volumes. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">It is actually directly adjacent to the primary groundwater recharge areas of the Waterloo Moraine, contains several creeks and streams, and parts of the proposed site are already within well-head protection areas without even taking into account the significant water/sewage needs of such a massive industrial development within a watershed that is already exceeding its assimilative capacity. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">While the farms to be destroyed may represent 0.35% of Waterloo Region’s farmland, this development will negatively impact and compromise agricultural operations for kilometres in every direction and this absurd location for such a massive industrial complex more than 25km distant from our urban centres of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge and where any sort of development has never even been contemplated will have negative implications on groundwater, area wells, local roads/traffic, noise, pollution, and numerous other negative impacts that will disrupt one of the most productive prime agricultural areas of Canada. The negative impacts will be very costly and far-reaching.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">We are already losing more than 319 acres of farmland every day in Ontario, the loss of such a vast tract of farmland in Wilmot - not only for this mega-industrial site but hundreds if not thousands of additional acres for accompanying developments is certainly not sustainable - particularly when our Regional Official Plan had a viable plan for more than 300,000 new residents and 170,000 new jobs with almost no farmland loss. It seems that no climate change, sustainability, nor environmental considerations have been taken into account for this proposed mega-industrial site as it is so contrary and stands to override so many Regional and municipal efforts to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and lower our environmental impact. The use of already compromised greyfield, brownfield, and exhausted aggregate pits which abound throughout the Region doesn’t even seem to have been considered instead of the destruction of this prime agricultural land that comprises less than 1% of all land in Ontario. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">In an era of rapidly changing global climate, food scarcity is an issue that we all need to anticipate. - particularly in light of scientific predictions for the years ahead and the 40% of the world already facing food and water scarcity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">3) The business community is supportive. We are hearing the loudest voices in opposition, but anyone who supports growth and prosperity in our community - especially business leaders - are for it. I know because they tell me.</span></i><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">No one is against growth and prosperity in our community. However, Agriculture and Food Processing is our #1 Industry in Waterloo Region, generating more revenues and providing more jobs than any other industry. Our farms are amongst the most successful and profitable in all of Canada. We shouldn’t be destroying our #1 economic driver, our countryside and our farmland in hopes that one day some new unknown industry might be convinced to come and set up shop here. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">It is this distant, confounding location with so little existing infrastructure, such significant costs to develop, and with so many negative impacts that seem to have been so poorly studied that is causing concern. It is the lack of transparency, so many secret backroom meetings, the lack of any studies or research made publicly available (if they even exist), or even a single public meeting for what could be one of the largest developments in the history of Waterloo Region that is causing so much concern and causing tens of thousands of citizens to speak out in concern and opposition.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">Lets build a mega-industrial site using proper transparent planning processes, that is congruent with our Regional Official Plan and all previous planning, that has proper plentiful public consultation and engagement, that our elected officials can actually talk about and not be muzzled, and that has full financial accounting and cost estimates so taxpayers clearly understand the costs and benefits. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">Lets ensure that it is sustainable and doesn’t come at the expense of other already successful industries, businesses, and communities. Lets ensure that it can compete globally to attract world-leading companies - not this proposed Wilmot site that only meets 7 of the 44 criteria of Ontario’s own Job Site Selection criteria compared with other potential sites in Waterloo Region meeting 36 to 42 of the 44 criteria. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;">We can’t have winners and losers in our community. The widespread public opposition to this proposed site is clear by the thousands of lawn signs up throughout the Region and the tens of thousands of signatures against it. We need a site that everyone in Waterloo Region supports - not just some of the business people who stand to profit the most from it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>