Category: NEWS - Page 10 - Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods

Queen’s Park Report – Year End 2020

Published on: January 4, 2021 | Last Updated on: January 6, 2021

The cap is on 2020 – we wish you all the best for 2021!

The Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods had a busy year with many letters sent to the Province, virtual meetings and responses to consultations on issues. We have also updated and improved our website so that it is a vital resource for resident associations in urban areas across the province.

We all know that 2020 did not work out the way anybody expected. We have been forced to adjust and to do many things differently, as well as trying to make it all work better. Our municipal leaders have for the most part been listening and responsive.

The Province not so much. They have continued to make changes “under cover of COVID” that “benefit speculators, not people.”

Lake Simcoe Protection Plan public input requested

Published on: December 30, 2020 | Last Updated on: January 6, 2021

The Ontario government is engaging with local partners, Indigenous communities and residents from the Lake Simcoe area to get their input on the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan.

The plan is the roadmap to improve the lake’s water quality, reduce pollutants such as phosphorus, support sustainable fisheries and address the impacts of invasive species. The feedback received will help determine if the document needs to be amended or updated.

Members of the public can take part in the 75-day public review of the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan by completing an online public survey between December 18, 2020 and March 3, 2021 and participating in a virtual town hall early in the new year. For more information and other ways to get involved in the review, visit the Protecting Lake Simcoe webpage.

Bill 197 (MZO) implementation feedback requested

Published on: December 29, 2020 | Last Updated on: September 10, 2021

The Ontario government is inviting comments concerning changes to certain legislative provisions in the Planning Act now in force with the enactment of Bill 197, the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020 that enable the Minister to address site plan matters and apply inclusionary zoning as part of a zoning order.

There has been much discussion and outcry over the increased use of Minister’s Zoning Orders to override local planning bodies and conservation authorities in order to push projects through. MZOs had previously only been used rarely – and only in cases where the public good was a major consideration.

The government is offering an opportunity to make your thoughts on this issue known – commenting is open until January 30, 2021.

Protecting Ontario’s Environmental Future

Published on: December 22, 2020

What’s next after the gutting of the Conservation Authorities?

On December 8th, the provincial government passed a law making big changes to the way Conservation Authorities operate, handing major environmental planning decisions over to the government – and their developer friends.

But these huge and damaging changes were just the latest in a long string of attacks on Ontario’s environment, such as reduced protection for endangered species, planning an unnecessary highway through farmland and a portion of the Greenbelt, weakening climate action plans and approving developments on protected wetlands. Together it paints a very clear picture of who benefits: developers.

Bill 229 Update

Published on: December 12, 2020

Unfortunately, Bill 229, including Schedule 6, with its attack on protections for Ontario wetlands, was passed into law on December 9, despite many protests from citizens and organizations across the province.

From Environmental Defence’s email to members:

“It can be hard to carry on the fight when it seems like the government won’t listen to reason or to the voices of its constituents. It’s crystal clear that this government is not “for the people” – but is for the special interests of a small group of influential developers and land speculators.

Curtail the misuse of Minister’s Zoning Orders

Published on: December 3, 2020 | Last Updated on: December 23, 2020

A Minister’s Zoning Order (MZOs) allows the Minister to directly zone land for particular purposes. The Minister does not have to give notice or consult with the public prior to issuing or revoking…

While people are dealing with the COVID pandemic, the Government of Ontario is setting the stage for development projects to proceed without public consultation or the right to appeal. Without alerting the public, the government has been issuing and revoking Minister’s Zoning Orders.

Zoning orders should be used rarely and judiciously. The recent flurry of decisions to expedite development on farmland and green space and in the City of Toronto by issuing or revoking zoning orders is a concerning trend.

Hands off conservation authorities

Published on: December 2, 2020

Join an urgent push to get Schedule 6 removed to protect Conservation Authorities in Ontario.

The provincial government is voting SOON on a budget bill, Bill 229. Bill 229 is going to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on Monday, Nov 30.

The Conservative government has included Schedule 6 which is unrelated to the budget. There are numerous changes proposed – they would slash the role of Conservation Authorities (CA), disabling their role in ravine protection and enabling developers to sidestep Conservation Authorities and go directly to the Minister for permits without CA review. The Minister would also be able to overturn a conservation authority’s decision to refuse to issue a permit for development.

Duffin’s Creek MZO News

Published on: November 23, 2020

A Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) was issued on October 30, 2020 for “Project Lonestar” – a 22-hectare warehouse development in a provincially significant wetland in Pickering, Ontario.

The provincial government’s use (or overuse) of MZOs has been a matter of great concern recently and the latest one has prompted an outcry from environmental groups and one neighbouring mayor.

Minister’s Zoning Orders – City of Toronto

Published on: November 5, 2020 | Last Updated on: November 6, 2020

373 Front Street E. rendering of proposed building

Only about two weeks ago, FoNTRA expressed to you its serious concerns about the current use of Minister’s Zoning Orders (“MZOs”) but has received no response to its reasoned arguments. FoNTRA is, therefore, more than surprised and disappointed to learn that, in the meantime, you have issued new MZOs for three sites in the Distillery District of downtown Toronto – without any public consultation, without any involvement of the City Planning Department, without securing any community benefits to support an adequate infrastructure, and without even any notification of local politicians.

Notwithstanding some ingenuous views voiced in the local media – see, for example, Alex Bozikovic in The Globe and Mail of 28 October 2020 – that is no way to run a democratic and intelligent planning system. Just because a move is legal does not make it ethical or fair. In the earlier letter, FoNTRA has outlined in some detail the evolution of MZOs, as intended by successive governments of all political stripes on the advice of several expert panels.

Revocation of Municipalities’ Authority to use Ranked Ballots

Published on: October 24, 2020

This is to express our strong opposition to your Bill revoking Ontario municipalities’ authority to use ranked ballots in local mayoral and council elections. The local option to use ranked ballots was instituted in 2016 by the previous government, and several municipalities, including London, have adopted it.

Furthermore this revocation is being proposed without notice, consultation or any credible rationale. And in a bill addressing pandemic issues! This is reminiscent of your 2018 slashing of Toronto City Council from 47 to 25 members in the middle of an election, cancelling Regional Chair elections in Niagara and York, also without notice or consultation.