It is understood that the…

It is understood that the purpose of Bill 66 is to make Ontario more competitive by cutting unnecessary regulations that are inefficient, inflexible or out of date. There is no issue with this goal, it is a good goal. My concern is that there are several regulations that are considered inflexible for a reason and if these regulations are disregarded, there will be serious repercussions to the economy, environment, social environment and history of Ontario.

At what point do we want Ontario to be open for business?

Clean Water Act - it is inflexible for a reason. If you are unsure why, google Walkerton. I will not say any more on this as it is an essential piece of legislation that needs to be protected at all costs

Planning Act and Provincial Policy Statement - The PPS, updated in 2014 includes Ontario's Indigenous communities for the first time. This is a substantial movement forward for society and for the Indigenous peoples in Ontario, it is a recognition that they have traditionally lived in Ontario long before the Planning Act and the PC party. To repeal the PPS is an insult to the Indigenous peoples of Ontario and needs to be further considered prior to just crumpling up the PPS and tossing in the trash bin.

Additionally, there are many municipalities in Ontario that are so far behind in meeting Ontario's Planning Act and PPS, they should already be considered "open for business". Rather, to the more savvy municipal planner, these municipalities are viewed as archaic backwaters of Ontario that have hindered their own progress and growth due to their lack of understanding of the PPS or general disregard. Is that what we want for all of Ontario? My gut tells me that ignorance is not the way forward.

Additionally, the creation and institution of many pieces of legislation and policies and actually kept Ontario's economy growing. Remove these policies and you will see engineers, biologists, climatologists, ecologists, and heritage professionals laid off in droves. What kind of future will that leave for them? I suspect with the Open for Business policy, there will be jobs waiting for them at Tim Hortons.

Please reconsider!