I have reviewed the proposed…

I have reviewed the proposed legislative changes referred to as ‘Restoring Ontario's Competitiveness Act, 2018’ or Bill 66. Of great concern to me are the changes which are detailed in:

Schedule 5 – Repealing legislation which (a) prevents pollution and protects human health and the environment by reducing the use and creation of toxic substances and (b) informs Ontarians about toxic substances.

In my opinion, Ontario should try to attract businesses which are willing to abide by the Toxic Reduction Act, 2009, NOT the ones which want to circumvent this legislation.

Schedule 7 – Repealing legislation which protects consumers who enter into agreements with suppliers for wireless services accessed from a cellular phone, a smart phone or any other similar mobile device.

The Wireless Services Agreements Act, 2013 was passed as a result of the gouging and the penalties that the wireless service providers were imposing and the public outcry that resulted. It provides additional protection to the federal legislation, including the capping of cancellation fees and the right to file class action lawsuits against wireless companies. Ontario consumers want the additional protection that this act provides.

Schedule 9 – No longer requires employers to post information about the Employment Standards Act, 2000 describing rights of employees.
- It repeals the 60 hour per week cap, allowing employees to work excessive hours, resulting in safety and health related issues.
- It allows employers to average hours to avoid overtime pay without approval of the Director of Employment Standards

Ontario should be attracting employers who treat their employees with respect and do not try to circumvent the Employment Standards Act. These legislative changes do not in any way improve the competitiveness of Ontario businesses.

Schedule 10 – Allows municipalities to pass a bylaw overriding policies to protect water, natural heritage, farmland, human health and well-being.

This is the scariest schedule in Bill 66 and it can be passed without public notice, behind closed doors. Decades of work that has gone into protecting Ontarians will be overturned. In addition, it would leave citizens without recourse.

It allows for urban sprawl everywhere in Ontario but also in the Green Belt. These lands are intended to be used as farmland, providing food for Ontarians in the future. Protection of these lands is of utmost importance.

Municipalities across Ontario are currently declaring that they will NOT be passing the ‘open-for-business’ bylaw. But to have even one municipality pass the bylaw could easily affect all Ontarians in an extremely negative way. If the Great Lakes waters are not protected, it will affect millions of Ontarians, as it is a major source of drinking water.

As far as I am concerned, schedule 10 in the legislation is NOT “FOR THE PEOPLE”, it only benefits developers. It is legislation that is “FOR THE ELITE”. Ontarians have worked hard to create all the legislation that is “FOR THE PEOPLE”, and we do not want this work to be in vain.

Should Bill 66 be voted on in the legislature, I am begging you to make this vote a non-partisan vote so that PC members can vote on behalf of their constituents and with an clear conscience.