RE: ERO 019-2811 Schedule…

Comment

RE: ERO 019-2811 Schedule 17 of Bill 197 (Amendments to the Planning Act)
- The current Registry posting fails to comply with the requirements of Part II of the Environmental Bill of Rights;
- Schedule 17's enhancement of Ministerial Zoning powers is problematic, environmentally risky, and unacceptable from a public interest perspective;
- New subsections 47(4.1) to 47(4.16) and 47(9.1) of the Planning Act should be repealed by the Ontario Legislature; also, section 47 should be amended to prohibit the issuance of MZOs that are inconsistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, source protection plans, or provincial land use plans;
- Legislative amendments are needed to ensure that public notice, comment and appeal rights are available in relation to MZOs; the long-standing public participation rights in relation to re-zoning proposals under the Planning Act should be respected and followed;
- The Planning Act should be amended to prohibit the issuance of MZOs which authorize land use or development that is inconsistent with the Provincial Policy Statement that safeguard agricultural lands and significant natural heritage; drinking water source protection plans approved under the Clean Water Act; and provincial land use plans.