Dear Sirs/Madames I am…

Dear Sirs/Madames
I am writing on behalf of the Riverview Park Community Association in Ottawa to register our opposition to Bill 66. We, like many fellow Ontario taxpayers, are concerned that the measures of this Bill will unnecessarily roll back safeguards and regulatory practices developed by previous Ontario governments from all parties to protect residents and voters.

While we agree that administrative burdens and red-tape may need to be revisited in certain circumstances, we feel that the measures in Bill 66 go too far and undermine the democratic principles of citizen participation. In particular, we are concerned about Schedule 10 amendments to the Planning Act that eliminate the right for consultation or requirement to provide a notice for any hearing prior to passing an “Open for business by law.”

The proposal provisions that would allow for elimination of public consultation violate the established principles of natural justice whose objective is to ensure that every person whose interests are at risk is entitled to participate in an administrative process before a decision is taken. Taking away the voices of ordinary citizens and taxpayers– may of whom may have voted for the Progressive Conservatives in 2018 – is undemocratic and goes against allowing residents and constituents to have more of a say in what goes on in their communities.

To summarize, we have concerns about the following:
-Short-circuiting the safeguards of the Planning Act, the Official Plan and the Provincial Policy Statement.
-Weakening of health, safety, and environmental protections. E.g. Eliminating the Clean Water Act that was created after the Walkerton Water crisis/tragedy from 2000-2001 where seven citizens died and 2300 became after the town’s water supply was contaminated with E.Coli.
We also believe Bill 66 undermines essential governance principles by:
o (a) eliminating the requirement for public consultation, especially with respect to larger development proposals
o (b) eliminating the right of appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal and from Ministerial decisions
In conclusion, the RPCA and many others do not believe that the measures proposed in Bill 66 are necessary to improve competitiveness in Ontario. On the contrary, passage of Bill 66 in its present form will threaten the quality of life and, undermine the key principles of responsible government of all Ontario residents. Bill 66 should be withdrawn and replaced with legislation that will protect the safety of citizens and respect the principles of administrative fairness that Ontario taxpayers deserve.
Sincerely
Kris Nanda
Immediate Past President, Riverview Park Community Association