Government attempts to make Schedule 6 WORSE! Committee has just voted in favour
Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
Friday afternoon, committee members voted in favour of Schedule 6 and the new amendments with MPPs Mitzie Hunter, Sandy Shaw and Ian Arthur voting against. The committee is chaired by Amarjot Sandhu PC Brampton West. Members are Jeremy Roberts PC, Ottawa West—Nepean; Ian Arthur NDP Kingston and the Islands; Stan Cho PC Willowdale; Mitzie Hunter Lib, Scarborough—Guildwood,;Logan Kanapathi PC Markham—Thornhill; Sol Mamakwa NDP, Kiiwetinoong; David Piccini PC, Northumberland—Peterborough South; Sandy Shaw NDP, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas; Dave Smith PC Peterborough—Kawartha; Vijay Thanigasalam PC Scarborough—Rouge Park (Not all members were present).
Another Twist of the Knife
From Ontario Nature and Environmental Defence
Ontario government’s proposed amendments to Bill 229, Schedule 6 are a shocking escalation of attacks on public safety, natural values and safe drinking water
The Ontario government will today bring forward amendments to its proposed legislation that attacks Conservation Authorities, which will allow the provincial government to order dangerous development projects to proceed against the science-based decisions of Conservation Authorities in a manner that threatens public safety and environmental values all across the province.
These new, and never previously discussed, amendments expressly force Conservation Authorities to issue permits for development, even if it will cause flooding or erosion and jeopardize human health and safety, if the government issues a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO). They also force Conservation Authorities to accept and implement “pay to slay” agreements with developers to allow natural values to be wiped off the landscape for a fee.
This proposal appears to be aimed specifically at retroactively forcing the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to issue a permit for the destruction of 50 per cent of the provincially significant Lower Duffins Creek coastal wetland complex against the Authority’s stated opposition. The MZO issued for this development is being challenged in court by Ecojustice on behalf of Ontario Nature and Environmental Defence.
“The provincial government is circumventing the planning process and shutting down public consultation and now they are ending the ability of any “nuisance” bodies like Conservation Authorities to apply laws that protect wetlands, floodplains and source water protection areas,” said Caroline Schultz of Ontario Nature.
“After hearing articulate and sustained opposition from tens of thousands of Ontarians, all 36 Conservation Authorities, farmers and almost every municipality in the province, this government has decided to double down and legislate a requirement for Conservation Authorities to put the public at risk and destroy our future to make a few developers rich,” said Tim Gray of Environmental Defence.
Environment Defence and Ontario Nature reiterate that Schedule 6 must be withdrawn before this budget bill is passed, and full public consultations on how to enhance the ability of Conservation Authorities to protect public safety and the environment in a time of climate crisis must be held.
Our emails to politicians fall on deaf ears. It’s very sad. We elect them to serve us, but they serve big business instead. Today, I have made a donation to CELA. I have also registered with them for updates. Please advise if there is another email campaign or other options for us and thank you for all that you do, AWARE-Simcoe.