I would like the committee…

I would like the committee to restore proper oversight of the various highway projects enumerated in this bill and that autonomy be restored to municipal governments'. This bill is an unfortunate overreach that will massively expand the power of Queen's Park beyond reasonable limits and unnecessarily encroaches on the proper realm of municipal governments.

As a resident of Ontario all my life, I have watched the provincial government endlessly interfere in the proper matters of municipal governments. This bill would strip over 400 municipalities of the ability to design their own streets, enshrining local values in the infrastructure they pay for. Going back to the forced amalgamation of Toronto and other large municipalities like Hamilton and Ottawa, the province has constantly disregarded local concerns. This bill is another step along that unfortunate path. If the province expects cities to thrive, cities must be allowed to make decisions about their design unimpeded by centralizing tendencies in Queen's Park.

Furthermore, the rejection of impact assessments and environmental criteria leaves our local communities under protected and vulnerable to abuse. Without verifying that a project is feasible and balances concerns, grave impacts will be forced upon the most vulnerable.

I ask that this law be rejected or amended such that local control and environmental protections are restored.