I'd like to share my…

I'd like to share my disagreement with the proposed Bill 66. I feel the negative impacts it will have on our environment, water security, air, and health are far greater than the proposed competitiveness gain. We as Ontarians should be striving for sustainable living, not competitive gain at the expense of our future.

Bill 66 attacks legislative provisions which currently safeguard environmental quality and public health and safety throughout Ontario.

Bill 66 allows municipalities to create by-laws that trump critical legal requirements to protect water, natural heritage, farmland and human health and well-being. These by-laws would override policies in approved source protection plans intended to protect existing and future sources of municipal drinking water from threats such as landfills, sewage systems and improper handling of fuel, manure and pesticides. It threatens two million acres of natural areas and farmland across the Greenbelt including wetlands, woodlands and habitat for species at risk across Ontario. Open-for-business by-laws would circumvent environmental natural heritage and farmland protections set out in the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) under the Planning Act, the Greenbelt Plan, the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. The threat to farmland and risk of urban sprawl cannot be ignored. Bill 66 would undermine efforts to make Ontario communities more livable, sustainable and resilient. Open-for-business by-laws would override PPS policies supporting active transportation, affordable housing, green infrastructure, and climate resiliency. Since by-laws could be passed without prior public notice, it would compromise transparency and public engagement; contrary to current
legal requirements (Planning Act, Clean Water Act). Lastly, Bill 66 threatens human and wildlife health through increased exposure to toxic chemicals by repealing the Toxics Reduction Act, which requires certain industrial facilities to consider ways to reduce the use and emission of toxic chemicals in
their operations.

Clearly, the list of concerns is long and I am extremely concerned that such a Bill would be considered after the years of protection and gain the Greenbelt has offered.