I am extremely concerned…

I am extremely concerned about provisions being put forth in the Conservative government's proposed Bill 66, a bill which was introduced with no public consultation and little regard for our Province's natural and cultural heritage. As an Ontario resident I am worried that the proposed Bill will produce harmful effects for both our Province's natural environment and the health of our fellow Ontarians. As a consulting archaeologist I am disturbed by the potential for Bill 66 to allow developers to literally bulldoze away Ontario's rich history spanning more than 10,000 years.

The proposed bill will allow for the development and degradation of environmentally sensitive and ecologically beneficial areas such as the Ontario Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine, in addition to numerous Source Water Protection Areas and formerly protected areas within the Lake Simcoe Watershed. These natural areas offer significant environmental benefits. The Greenbelt alone saves the province $2.6 billion a year in essential services such as providing fresh drinking water and clean air. The proposed bill also undermines and the Clean Water Act less than 20 years after the Walkerton disaster, putting both the health of Ontario residents and the ecological health of our Great Lakes at risk. As Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care I hope this would be of concern for you.

Additionally, Bill 66 threatens our province's cultural heritage. Ontario has a rich history of occupation that dates back more than 12,000 years. The archaeological assessments completed each year in advance of development help fill in the gaps in the story of our Province, Indigenous Peoples and more recent settlers. Archaeology gives a voice to many who have been written out of the history of our Province. Indigenous and descendant community participation in the process of archaeological investigation has recently amplified that voice. Bill 66 threatens to allow municipalities to opt out of provisions within the Planning Act, including the Provincial Policy Statement (2014) which require many of the assessments that are completed. Under Bill 66, a municipality will be able to circumvent Subsection 3(5) and Section 24 of the Planning Act which give authority to the Provincial Policy Statement (2014) and Official Plan requirements respectively. The protection of heritage is a mandatory provincial interest under the Ontario Heritage Act, not a decision of convenience at a municipal level.

In short, Bill 66 needs to be amended to restore the requirements that will protect our natural and cultural heritage for the generations to come. I am calling on you to do what is right for our province, it's residents, and our shared natural and cultural heritage.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.