These are my comments re the…

These are my comments re the OMB review:

-The OMB should be scrapped because it serves no purpose other than appeasing the people (developers) with the deep pockets to get their way.

-Otherwise, the OMB should not involve the use of any lawyers because people cannot afford their high costs and most people are quite capable of representing themselves. The OMB has become too much like a court procedure.

-A better option might be for people to just hire a planner if needed and to engage in mediation between the parties to resolve issues.

-The OMB needs to eliminate the ‘Participant’ category because it’s totally useless and undemocratic. Everyone should have ‘Party’ status to allow them to be fully engaged in the process and represent themselves.

-There should definitely not be any costs awarded!

-The OMB Chairs must have legal and mediation training, not just be former politicians or mayors. The worst example of incompetency was the 2 female Chairs who were former mayors that presided over the 3-year long OMB hearing for the Simcoe County OP. They just rubber-stamped everything that the county lawyer Roger Beaman presented to them without hardly any discussion.

-The bottom line is that the planning decisions made by municipal councils should not be able to be challenged if they abide by their OP, PPS and provincial growth plan. Too many times councils are afraid to make the appropriate planning decisions for fear of being challenged at the OMB and then having to spend taxpayer money to pay the huge legal fees. That is why the OMB does not make sense anymore, and should be scrapped.

[Original Comment ID: 196747]