Bill 66 is one of the most…

Bill 66 is one of the most ill-conceived and short sighted pieces of legislation to come out of the Provincial Government to date. This legislation encourages municipalities to ignore existing environmental and planning policies including The Greenbelt Act, The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, The Clean Water Act, and The Great Lakes Protection Act. These acts were all created to protect environmentally sensitive lands and waterways and in turn protect the health and well-being of Ontario citizens.

Bill 66 allows municipalities to create “open for business” zoning bylaws. Industrial buildings would be eligible for this type of fast track development. Industrial buildings that degrade the environment and pollute waterways would be encouraged to locate their operations in “Open for Business” zones.

The Provincial Government is so intent on pushing through development as fast as possible that Municipalities will not be required to inform the public when development under Bill 66 gets approved. Not only is the health and well-being of our communities threatened but we won’t even get a say in how they are shaped.

Bill 66 is a real threat to Ontario and specifically to the GTA. Take for example the City of Vaughan, which is home to where the Greenbelt, the Oak Ridges Moraine and the headwaters of major watersheds all intersect. There are thousands of Vaughan residents who are located close to Greenbelt lands and downstream form major watershed tributaries. This policy has the potential to do real harm to the environment and the residents of Vaughan and the entire Greater Toronto Area.

Doug Ford emphatically promised during the election that he would not touch the Greenbelt. Make him accountable for this important promise!

Our communities are not red tape, our rivers and streams are not red tape, and the future health and well-being of our children is not red tape. This kind of reckless legislation is how the Walkerton tragedy came to be. Don't let this happen again!