I register my strongest…

I register my strongest objections to the changes proposed in Bill 23 to change the protection for wetlands by removing the need to evaluate a series of wetlands as complexes. Evaluating them as individuals will almost certainly mean that the evaluator (paid for and reporting only to the person who paid her or him) will find that the wetland does not meet the criterion of "Provincially Significant". Mr. Premier, wetlands are critical to the current and future of Ontario's safe water supply - surely you understand that. Building over wetlands will do little to increase housing supply but will increase the profits of developers. I also object to the fact that the province proposes to have no further role in reviewing or approving wetland evaluations, will no longer keep wetland evaluation files and will no longer maintain significant wetland mapping capability, or provide information for use in wetland evaluations.
These responsibilities will be delegated to the municipalities, without additional budgets or provincial assistance, and the municipalities will have NO authority to review and approve wetland evaluations submitted by landowners. This is unacceptable and undemocratic and so Bill 23 must be withdrawn. There is only one taxpayer - the current system, while not always perfect, has worked well to protect these ecologically significant ;lands - keep it that way