RE: Bill 185, Cutting Red…

RE: Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape To Build More Homes Act, ERO 019-8369

I am a resident of the Region of Waterloo and I have very, very little good to say about this egregious bill which attacks our local democratic rights, sweeps aside our thoroughly consulted and supported land use plan, and threatens our precious and essential prime farmland and our local natural groundwater filtration sites, all in a spurious attempt to appease land speculators and developers while claiming it's about cutting red tape to build more homes. We need affordable housing - these new sprawling suburbs will be far from 'affordable' and will cost the Region billions in unnecessary infrastructure (water, sewer, power, transportation).

The removal of Planning Authority from the Region of Waterloo is being undertaken because we created an excellent land use plan that met the provincially stipulated growth targets and density goals while protecting our countryside line, our protected countryside and environmentally sensitive landscapes. Ever since this plan was submitted, the PC Government has launched threats and attacks and now this latest example of legal bullying to appease developers and land speculators who want to build sprawling estates on what is prime farmland and groundwater filtration sites. If our Planning Authority is removed, we absolutely require Greenbelt expansion for adequate protection of primary groundwater recharge areas.

In addition to the above issues, the bill signals unacceptable changes that eliminate the ability for citizens to appeal development decisions to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), changes what constitutes “public notice”, and changes the criteria for the opening of settlement area (urban) boundaries that will allow almost unlimited urban expansion onto farmland. This is nothing less than an attack on our local democratic rights.

In Summary, my Recommendations on Bill 185 are:

- Planning Authority should be retained by the Region of Waterloo, our Countryside Line remain intact, and forced boundary expansions eliminated,
- If Planning Authority is removed Greenbelt expansion is required to adequately protect the Waterloo Moraine,
- Changes to Settlement Area Boundaries should not be permitted outside of regular municipal comprehensive review periods,
- Proposed changes to MZO’s could be good but require more understanding,
- It is fantastic to see the absurd Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator (CHIA) introduced by Bill 109 rescinded,
- Planning Act Sections dealing with limiting Third Party Appeals should be rescinded,
- The Attorney General should disclose all communications with municipalities and developers requesting changes to third party appeal rights,
- The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) should be required to permit third party appeals,