Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the changes enacted through Bill 197, the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020, that was passed on July 21, 2020. As a Canadian citizen and resident of the Province of Ontario, I am very strongly opposed to the changes enacted under Bill 197, specifically with regard to the enhanced powers granted to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to unilaterally remove municipal use of site plan control, require agreements between the municipality and development proponents concerning site plan matters, and make amendments to Minister’s Zoning Orders that use any of these enhanced authorities without first giving public notice or requiring public consultation.
I have personally been involved in a MZO in my city of Stratford so have seen first hand the non democratic process this has turned out to be. We can not allow these orders to be used to have secret municipal meetings in order to pass the appropriation of critical farmland and water resources without public consultation. If the government is not going to look after the environment, the citizens must be vigilant.