November 24, 2022 To whom it…

November 24, 2022

To whom it may concern,

Bill 23, if passed will marginalize Ontario's communities. Bill 23 weakens large and small communities by seriously limiting any public input while at the same time compromising each community's planning processes. Bill 23 will significantly decrease developer contributions to local infrastructure, open space, and other community amenities. This is contrary to the existing process where land development pays for itself rather than shifting land development costs onto communities (read taxpayers.) Further Bill 23 would provide an ability to override any community's Official Plan should those plans negatively affect the intent of Bill 23.

Another serious concern is how Bill 23's Schedule 6 (Heritage) amendments will greatly curtail municipalities (read Cobourg) by drastically undermining its ability to protect its many heritage assets.

Its been reported that one of the worst parts of Bill 23 is the elimination of affordable housing by allowing developers to tear down some of the most affordable homes - perhaps a community's unique heritage assets - in the city in order to build expensive housing for significant profit margins.

To quote the ACO President, "Bill 23 will make it practically impossible to protect most of Ontario’s identified heritage properties."

Bill 23 will gut the Ontario Heritage Act. Simply stated, Bill 23 if given Royal Assent will jeopardize thousands of Ontario's heritage properties by making them all vulnerable to demolition. The historically important Brookside property perhaps?

Donald Macintosh
Cobourg, Ontario