Premier Doug Ford Minister …

Premier Doug Ford
Minister Laurie Scott Minister of Infrastructure
Minister Jeff Yurek Minsiter of Environment

I was distressed to learn that within Bill 157 the Bill supporting broadband infrastructure - which I support, contained with in it a proposal in section C of the report to allow Minister's Zoning Orders (MZOs) to override legal and policy protections for farmland and natural heritage features and areas across Ontario.
While I am in in full support of the provincial government being permitted to place things like hydro lines etc on both public and private land for the public good. this section is not appropriate and
I am asking that SECTION C BE REMOVED ENTIRELY FROM THE BILL as the government already has in place other legislation that allows them to build reasonable infrastructure for the public good.

i am sure this is an oversight on the part of the government, and that you did not intentionally bury a piece of legislation that has no part in the expansion of broadband infrastructure. However it unfortunately appears as if the government was attempting to put something through without benefit of public scrutiny, particularly since the ability to comment on the bill is so constrained. Again I urge you to remove the section completely and if there is some pressing reason that your administration wishes to use MZOs (you have used 44 to date), I would ask that you do this publicly with a reasonable about of time for the general public to provide comments