Background, and lyrics:
AWARE News Network — The people of Midhurst (north of Barrie) are opposed to the building of 10,000 new Markham style homes around their village. The Midhurst Secondary Plan contravenes many of the anti-sprawl provisions of the Ontario Places to Grow Act.
But in January 2012, the province capitulated to pressure from developers and local politicians, lied by Sprngwater Mayor Linda Collins and Simcoe County Warden Cal Patterson, and made a so-called “Special Rule,” legislation applying only to Midhurst that over-rides Places to Grow.
This “Special Rule” allows the developers to proceed with the first half of their application for a new city the size of Orillia to be built on Class 1 and 2 farmland, 2 hours away from jobs in the GTA.; Midhurst resident David Strachan wasn’t happy about this “Special Rule,” so he wrote a song about it.
Intro
In 2005, the Province of Ontario introduced its Places to Grow Act. The new law was supposed to stop urban sprawl, reduce traffic and protect our foodland.
Amazing music videos. Should be a top hit. Singer should be seen as true Canadian icon, with whose help we pray for deliverance from the curse of sprawl.
Background, and lyrics:
AWARE News Network — The people of Midhurst (north of Barrie) are opposed to the building of 10,000 new Markham style homes around their village. The Midhurst Secondary Plan contravenes many of the anti-sprawl provisions of the Ontario Places to Grow Act.
But in January 2012, the province capitulated to pressure from developers and local politicians, lied by Sprngwater Mayor Linda Collins and Simcoe County Warden Cal Patterson, and made a so-called “Special Rule,” legislation applying only to Midhurst that over-rides Places to Grow.
This “Special Rule” allows the developers to proceed with the first half of their application for a new city the size of Orillia to be built on Class 1 and 2 farmland, 2 hours away from jobs in the GTA.; Midhurst resident David Strachan wasn’t happy about this “Special Rule,” so he wrote a song about it.
Intro
In 2005, the Province of Ontario introduced its Places to Grow Act. The new law was supposed to stop urban sprawl, reduce traffic and protect our foodland.
But every rule has its exceptions.
Lyrics
There’s Places to Grow in Ontario
So the government tells us all
And Places to Grow is expected to slow
The pace of our urban sprawl
We’ll sound the alarm t’ protect every farm
Our food and our water too
Can’t do no harm t’ keep country charm
So clean and so green and so blue
So clean, so green and so blue
But what of our friends, whose future depends
On paving so much of our land
We need production, they offer construction
It’s time we lent them a hand
Need a rule, Midhurst rule
Need a law, avoidance tool
Yes indeed, all we need
Is a Special Rule
Good things grow oh, in Ontario
So the government tells us all
And good things’ll grow just as long as we slow
The pace of our urban Sprawl
We’ll keep highways clear and keep clean the air
And keep clean our water too
Can’t do no harm to keep country charm
So clean and so green and so blue
So clean, so green and so blue
There’s houses to build and jobs to be filled
And aggregate to be mined. If …
Not for resources we’d still be on horses
Craving more paving’s just fine
Need a rule, Midhurst rule
Need a law, avoidance tool
Yes indeed, all we need
Is a Special Rule
Special Rule, Special Rule
The perfect law avoidance tool
It’s agreed, all the builders need
Is a Special Rule
For just a little more background,plus the Special Rule itself in all its glory: https://aware-simcoe.ca/2014/09/the-special-rule-explained/
Amazing music videos. Should be a top hit. Singer should be seen as true Canadian icon, with whose help we pray for deliverance from the curse of sprawl.