Hello My understanding is…

Hello

My understanding is that Buried in Bill 257, Supporting Broadband and Infrastructure Expansion Act, 2021, is a proposal to allow Minister's Zoning Orders (MZOs) to override legal and policy protections for farmland and natural heritage features and areas across Ontario.

I am writing to express the strongest possible opposition to this proposal for the following reasons:

1. Ontario's farmland and natural heritage features and areas now need more protection than ever, not less;

2. Embedding a proposal such as this in a larger bill is an affront to democracy. I believe this type of proposal should be subject to debate and vote as a stand-alone matter;

3. There are many alternatives for development that do not impinge on valuable farmland or natural heritage areas;

4. This government is giving too much importance to development objectives at the expense of conserving what's left of our natural areas, which represents a permanent loss for future generations.