To whom it may concern, Re:…

To whom it may concern,

Re: Comments from The Township of The Archipelago: Proposed Bill 23- the proposed More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments. The Township of the Archipelago staff and Council have reviewed the documents and have provided the attached resolution in response to the proposed Act.

Please accept these comments to meet the December 9, 2022 Provincial deadline for the submission of comments on ERO Postings 019-6163 and 019-6172.

WHEREAS the Council for the Township of The Archipelago recognizes the need for additional affordable and attainable housing locally, provincially, and nationally, and supports provincial measures to increase the supply of housing to meet this growing need;

AND WHEREAS a strategic priority for the Township of The Archipelago is to protect and preserve the natural environment, including Georgian Bay as the world’s largest freshwater archipelago, a globally important region designated as a Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), inland lakes, and watershed areas, through responsible land use planning;

AND WHEREAS the proposed changes to the Planning Act limits the Township’s ability to preserve and protect the environment, by eliminating the ability to use site plan control within environmentally sensitive, waterfront areas throughout the Township;

AND WHEREAS the proposed changes to the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System will diminish its importance and minimize the ability to classify and protect wetlands within the unique Georgian Bay landscape, which contains interconnected wetlands containing habitat for numerous threatened and endangered species;

AND WHEREAS the natural environment is the economic engine of the Township of The Archipelago and the Parry Sound District and the proposed changes, if implemented, will cause significant damage to the local economy;

AND WHEREAS a second strategic priority for the Township of The Archipelago is to provide strong leadership through good governance, responsible decision making and open communication to encourage collaboration and the development of solutions that are mindful of collective interests and that align with the values and beliefs of the Township;

AND WHEREAS the proposed changes to limit the requirement for public engagement and remove the ability for third party appeals, eliminates the capacity for the community to be involved in open and transparent planning processes;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the Council for the Township of The Archipelago respectfully requests the Province reconsider the proposed changes within Bill 23, that destroy the existing regulations and tools that help to protect and preserve the natural environment within the sensitive, rural, waterfront areas of the Township of The Archipelago, including the elimination of the use of Site Plan Control for residential development with less than 10 units and the removal of species at risk and wetland complexing criteria from the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System;

AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that Council for the Township of The Archipelago respectfully requests the Province to reconsider these proposed changes to the Planning Act and the Ontario Land Tribunal, that remove the opportunity for public input and limit public involvement in planning processes.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Council for the Corporation of the Township of The Archipelago directs staff to submit this resolution to the Honourable Minister Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; the Honourable David Piccini, Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks; the Honourable Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry; the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario; the Association of Municipalities of Ontario; and local community and ratepayers associations.