Section 47 of Bill 197…

Section 47 of Bill 197 should NOT bestow zoning authority upon the MMAH. This is the clear jurisdiction of municipal governments and should remain so. Zoning authority must remain with municipal governments with guidance from Conservation Authorities -- and include public consultations. The provincial level of government is far too distant from local communities, and it is currently in thrall to the development industry and demonstrates no interest in public consultation (-- which could easily be done by electronic means during this pandemic. How is this government managing to communicate so easily and regularly with developers?)

According to this bill: “However, this enhanced authority would not be available to be used within the Greenbelt Area (i.e., lands in the Niagara Escarpment Plan, Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, Greenbelt Plan Protected Countryside and Urban River Valleys). Ontario Regulation 59/05, Designation of Greenbelt Area, provides all the specific geographical detail and references the precise legal boundaries of the Greenbelt Area.” Then, WHY was an MZO issued for the Mary Lake Monastery Property in King Township since the land is located right smack dab in the Greenbelt?
For heaven’s sake, you can’t even bother to follow your own rules!!

Site Plan Control should be done at the Watershed Level, and this is the area where Conservation Authorities have the greatest experience at science-based land use planning. The MMAH should get the heck out of the way!! We need science over politics to protect the landscape and settlements from flooding.

Though recent legislation claims to be related to recovery from Covid-19, it appears the provincial government has simply been using Covid-19 as a way to (a) avoid all public consultations on matters affecting local communities, (b) usurp all powers from municipalities, leaving them as hostages to provincially-approved zoning changes to favour developers who provide generous donations to the Conservative Party, (c) avoid consulting the full legislature, regarding Conservative plans to reward developers, (d) diminish to the point of extinguishing the mandate of Conservation Authorities in the interest of INCREASED FLOODING RISKS. The Conservatives have completely abandoned even the slightest pretext of public service, demonstrating that they are using public funds to support their friends in the development industry. The Quebec government set up the Charbonneau Commission back in the 1990s to investigate corruption within the construction industry as it was specifically linked to politicians and bureaucrats within the provincial government. Ontario remains as silent as ever on this issue, but you can read Volume 3 of the Charbonneau Commissions findings in the attachment.

When the NDP recently accused the Conservative government of approving MZOs to favour developers, Doug Ford responded that the same developers used to provide donations to the Liberal Party. Yes, they did, and when the Conservatives lose the next election in 2022, you can be sure those same developers will provide funding to the Liberals again. When do politicians recognize that they are nothing more than PAWNS in the hands of developers? Developers are not interested in Conservative nor Liberal politics; instead, they are laser-focused on their own self-interests, and they know how to manipulate politicians, via the use of campaign donations, to achieve their own goals. Even worse, those political donations are tax-deductible, and the portion beyond the 75% deductible level can be deducted as business expenses. How are those deductions from general revenues covered? Taxes are raised, so the public who has been expeditiously IGNORED, have to pay again and again and again. A plague on both your houses, politicians and developers – oh, wait, a plague in the form of this pandemic is already upon us, and the Conservative government is using it as ‘cover’ for their fawning devotion to their friends in the development industry.

Bills 66, 197, and 229 are egregious acts AGAINST the public interest. Bill 66 was pre-pandemic, but it was just another Conservative gift to developers and campaign donors. The CURRENT rampant over-use of Ministerial Zoning Orders is a slap in the face to all members of the public who are forced to pay taxes to support this government and its cronies. This Minister of MAH has issued 39 MZOs quickly, and NONE of them should have been issued in areas with functioning municipal government structures. In the past, MZOs were only issued in remote areas that lacked municipal administration, but they were still open to public consultation.

I never chose to move to either China, or Russia, but I feel like I am living under one of those dictatorial regimes right now.

When it comes to 2022, this Conservative government will not be able to depend on my vote; hopefully, others feel the same way.

If the Conservatives are interested in democracy, this government will BAN all corporate donations and ensure all election expenses are paid from the public purse. In the end, that is where all election costs are sourced since campaign donations are completely deductible. It is time for this government to take the locks off the doors at Queen’s Park and allow the public to enter. After all, taxpayers ARE paying for your term in office -- and you appear to have chosen to be a ONE-term government.