NEWS

In It Together to Bring Back Main Street

In it Together: Bringing Back Canada's Main Streets

A new report from the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) with partners across the country urgently shines a light on the impacts of COVID-19 on main streets in Canada, and offers dozens of actions for governments, business and community leaders to strengthen local economies, neighborhoods and communities.

Without further assistance for commercial rent, insurance premiums and emergency financing for small business, there will be a surge in main street business closures in coming months. COVID-related impacts on consumer behaviour and spending, local travel patterns, social service delivery and housing have all contributed to the struggles for businesses and local institutions. The second wave of the novel coronavirus, with further public health restrictions, amplifies the threats to main streets.

Ontario government using special orders to rezone land without appeals

Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government has issued a series of special orders to approve a handful of plans from prominent Toronto-area developers and quash any potential opposition, saying the projects are needed to help the economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Known as minister’s zoning orders (MZO), they allow Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark to make a final ruling on how a piece of land is used in the province with no appeals, such as those from citizens or environmental groups before Ontario’s Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

Future Ground Network for local organizations

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Community group

Future Ground Network is a hub of groups who are taking action in their communities to build healthier, more sustainable futures from the ground up. Local action matters! According to the latest IPCC report, 50 to 70% of climate solutions come from the local level.

Joining the network means connecting with organizers from other groups to share best practices, find inspiration, and work together to achieve common goals.

Stop the 413 – update

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Stop the 413

The Ontario government proposes to build a new highway in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), from Highway 401, near Milton in the west, to Highway 400, near Kleinberg, in the east. The project, and its review, should be cancelled. The highway would cause significant negative impacts on the environment and on local communities. It would do little to ease congestion, and would consume billions of dollars that could be better spent on other transportation projects and solutions.

Environmental Defence has organizing tools and background information available now for GTA West groups opposed to Highway 413 to use and share with their networks.

Highway 413 Information

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413 map

Ontario is planning Highway 413, a redundant and unnecessary toll highway that would pave over farm, forests, wetlands and a portion of the Greenbelt and cost taxpayers billions.

Right now Highway 407 (another toll highway) is underused. Yet the province is proposing to build another east-west toll highway just 15 km away.

Proposed Changes to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe

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cycling through park on former brownfields

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on ERO 019-1680, the proposed changes to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (“Growth Plan”) and ERO 019-1679, the Lands Needs Assessment Methodology (“methodology”).

The Growth Plan is a unique land-use planning framework that proposes to balance urban growth with protection of the natural environment and farmland within the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH)…

According to the Growth Plan, these “valuable assets must be wisely protected and managed as part of planning for future growth.”

We, the 63 undersigned organizations, believe both proposals, if implemented, would cause significant adverse effects on the GGH.

President’s Report – June 20, 2020

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The key message I bring today is that events of this year, since COVID 19, continue to demand the critical role of residents associations at the local level, and federations of residents associations, especially at the provincial level, to address policy issues.  The mantra “municipalities are a creature of the province” is not only the law but is being actively practiced by the elected government. 

What are these issues we are dealing with? Here are examples: 

  • Bill 108 regulations
    Set rates for the new community benefit charge (CBC) which will produce less funding than before for public realm and public services needed as a result of development.
  • Tenant legislation – Bill 184 – The Protecting Tenants, Strengthening Community Housing Act, 2020
    Of which it has been said that “tenant protection (in the new legislation) begins and ends with the title”.

Provincial Policy Statement 2020

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new development in Toronto

The Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods responded to the request for comments on the proposed changes to the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) in the fall of 2019. Almost 500 responses were received and a summary of the comments and results of the consultant on the decision are available at the Environmental Registry of Ontario.

Growth Plan Amendments: FoNTRA Letter to Ontario Government

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suburban development

According to the government, the “proposed changes address implementation challenges with the Plan that were identified by the municipal and development sectors and other stakeholders” and “are intended to provide greater flexibility and address barriers to building homes, creating jobs, attracting investments and putting in place the right infrastructure while protecting the environment.” We note for the record that FoNTRA, as one of the most significant stakeholder organization in the Province representing the interests of residents, had not been consulted.

Queen’s Park Report November 2019

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Toronto at sunset

The Province, through Bill 108, More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019, introduced sweeping changes across 13 statutes, including the Planning Act and the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal Act, 2017, with the stated intention of cutting red tape, reducing costs, and increasing the supply of housing in Ontario. Although Bill 108 was passed on June 6, 2019, the vast majority of the amendments are presently not yet in effect.

On September 3, 2019, the Province proclaimed into force key amendments to the Planning Act and the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal Act, 2017 that in essence return the development process and the planning appeals regime back to where they were before the reforms introduced by the previous Government. These changes include: