The Town is concerned with…

The Town is concerned with the potential long-term and broad-reaching impacts of permitting major employment development that does not conform to longstanding provincial environmental legislation. The legislation was designed to protect provincially significant natural heritage assets and preserve and protect our drinking water supply.

More specifically, from the perspective of maintaining clean drinking water, the Town does not support the inclusion of an exemption from the requirement to conform to the Clean Water Act (2006), Section 39 or the applicable Source Protection Plan(s).

The proposed OFB planning by-law tool could be more effective in tourism-based communities if the types of employment uses that could be permitted by Bill 66 were expanded to allow for major employment opportunities related to tourism growth. Tourism-related employment uses could include amusement/theme parks, gaming facilities, entertainment venues, and major tourist attractions with ancillary retail and restaurant uses, while maintaining the provinces prohibition on major retail and residential uses in employment areas.