Bill 66 and the open-for…

Bill 66 and the open-for-business planning bylaw is of paramount interest to me because I am an environmental activist, environmental technologist alumni, a concerned resident and a proud Anishinabek. This issue directly impacts the health of: our ecosystems; Ontarians; and indirectly – reconciliation.
I am primarily concerned about the potential risks to the health and safety of the people of Ontario by giving municipalities the power to override legislation such as the Clean Water Act, The Greenbelt Act, the Lake Simcoe Protection Act, Oak Ridges Moraine Act, and the Places to Grow Act. These acts have been put in place to protect us from harmful threats, especially concerning our drinking water and if Bill 66 is passed, the risk to our health will increase significantly due to the lack of standards that come with the open-for-business planning bylaw.

Threats to our ecosystems are imminent if Bill 66 passes, which is also impacts the physical and mental health of Ontarians. Protection of our green spaces and wildlife is important for our mental wellbeing.

Individuals have less mental distress, less anxiety and depression, greater wellbeing and healthier cortisol profiles when living in urban areas with more greenspace compared with less greenspace. Large differences in disease prevalence are reported when comparing residents of very green and less green settings, even after controlling for socioeconomic status (Maas et al, 2009). Quantity of nearby greenspace buffers life stresses – a finding demonstrated across ages and cultures, having been observed both in an adult population from the Netherlands and in a childhood population from rural upstate New York, USA (Wells & Evans, 2003; van den Berg et al, 2010).

Other aspects of this same issue affect reconciliation between the Canadian government and Canada’s First Nations. Passing Bill 66 is blatant disregard for the renewal and rebuilding of the relationship of indigenous peoples and the Canadian government. Yes, reconciliation is primarily about helping the families affected by the IRS; however, it is also about respecting the culture and opinions of Canadian Aboriginals and our opinion is that we care about the earth, water, and sky.

The very acts that Bill 66 is planning to disregard state clearly that nothing in the act shall be construed so as to abrogate or derogate from the protection provided for the existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada as recognized and affirmed in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. So how can it be okay to create a bylaw that is obviously ignoring this very specific standard? How can the relationship be restored if the Canadian government can’t even respect the land that the people they are trying to reconcile with care deeply about? How can reconciliation be achieved if you can’t even regard our basic rights to clean water?

I understand the need to grow economically, however, I fear that this effort will contribute to the regression of everything we as Canadian’s have fought for.
Thank you for your consideration of my viewpoint on this matter. I believe it is an important issue, and would like to see the legislation fail to ensure the health of our people, ecosystems and the relationship between nations.