There is little that seems…

There is little that seems to make sense in this proposal unless you are a developer. I have not read anything in the media that sheds these changes in a positive light. It cuts development charges to municipalities, weakens protection for endangered species and forces municipalities to accept development that may not be consistent with their official plans due to reduced timelines imposed to make decision regardless of project complexity. Further these changes may actual weaken community access to provide informed comments on local planning decisions, due to the complexity of the planning process and lack of resources financial and/or technical available to the public combined with reduced decision making timelines.

I have not seen any reasons why the public/citizens should support this bill and other development/ planning legislative changes proposed. I only see reasons why private/corporate interests would want to support this bill.

I think municipal requests to extend the comment period and conduct further consultations should be granted. Further the government needs to examine consequences of these legislative changes at all levels (social, economic and environmental - in particular with a lens that includes impacts and risks associated with climate change ) and justify why these changes are needed and in the public interest. Planning and environmental legislation is not red tape nor duplicative it is there to ensure and support municipalities to make decisions about development that are in the interests of current and future generations and promote communities that are healthy and sustainable.

I hope Ontario's Government for the People is listening to the people. I don't know any people that want municipalities to have less funding for community and recreation services, less protection for endangered species, reduced ability to comply with their Official Plans (documents that require extensive public consultation) or less resources to be able to participate in planning decisions that directly affect their community.