NEWS

Ministers’ Zoning Orders (MZOs) are being used to fast track development, overriding provincial and municipal plans which have taken years of technical studies and public consultation to complete, said Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk in her 2021 Annual Report. In the two-year period from March 2019 to March 2021, 44 MZOs were issued. Prior to this, MZOs were issued about once a year. In addition, all MZOs are no longer required to be consistent with provincial land-use policy.

“The willingness of the province to make decisions that do not align with municipal plans has upended the certainty that both the municipal and development communities need,” said Lysyk. “Municipal land-use plans and the infrastructure required to support these decisions can take years to design, fund and consult with the community. The rationale behind the increased use of MZOs should be transparent to the public.”

Kate Manson-Smith, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has announced changes to the organizational structure of the Ministry as of September 20, 2021.

“The work of the Ontario Growth Secretariat (OGS) will be integrated into other parts of the ministry and a new Planning and Growth Division (PGD) will be created that integrates policy portfolios related to provincial, regional and municipal lan d use planning as well as buildings and construction.  This realignment will integrate key land use and development related policy functions into a single division which will result in a clearer mandate and enhanced stakeholder relationships.  Bringing together the entire growth, land use planning and buildngs policy continuum will result in better alignment and allow us to work together in a more effective manner.”

The City of Toronto and the Province have come to an agreement regarding the fate of the Foundry site on Eastern Ave. The main details of that agreement are outlined in a new Heritage Impact Assessment, made public on August 20, 2021.

The key points are:

• The Machine Shop and Foundry Building (a.k.a. the Cleaning Building) will not be demolished
• The Office Building and the Warehouse will be demolished
• When the property is sold, conditions of sale will constrain the purchaser to protect the two heritage buildings
• The percentage of affordable housing to be built on site has been increased from 25% to 30%

The Ontario government is planning two new highways through Ontario’s precious farmland and Greenbelt – Highway 413 and the Holland Marsh Highway (Bradford Bypass).

If built, the highways would pave over farms, forests, wetlands and a portion of the Greenbelt and cost taxpayers upwards of $6-10 Billion. Highway 413 alone would also add over 17 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, at a time when cutting emissions is more urgent than ever.

Enough is enough.We need to show the province that Ontarians do not want more megahighways, we want local produce, effective public transit and livable, walkable communities.

TORONTO – The Ontario government is cutting red tape and making it easier for companies to provide passenger transportation services between communities in Ontario effective July 1, 2021. This is part of the province’s efforts to improve transportation options for Ontarians as the province recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Under the previous system it was difficult for businesses that offered bus service to begin operating on a new route, even in situations where there was no service being offered,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “By cutting red tape, we are making it easier for carriers to offer transportation services to communities where there is a need.”

TORONTO – Today, the Ontario government released a discussion paper for public feedback that will inform the province’s first transportation plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Ontario is building a better transportation system to connect communities and keep goods and people moving across the province, including in Ontario’s economic engine, the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

“We have a long-term vision for the Greater Golden Horseshoe that takes us to 2051, built on connected transportation that’s safe, seamless and accessible,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “This discussion paper is an important opportunity to gain further insights that will help shape a better transportation network for our province’s future.”

Through a consultation posting on the Environmental Registry of Ontario as well as an online feedback form, the Ontario government is seeking public input on ways to achieve our vision.

The greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from Ontario’s gas-fired power plants will increase by more than 300% by 2030 and by 500% or more by 2040 as the province uses gas to replace aging nuclear plants and to meet growing demand for electricity from population growth and increased electrification (electric cars, home heating). If this occurs, Ontario will lose roughly 40% of the pollution reduction benefits it achieved by phasing-out its dirty coal plants.

Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is launching a public engagement process on how Ontario can reduce its greenhouse gas pollution by phasing out its gas-fired power plants. This is your chance to tell the IESO that we need to phase out gas by 2030 to help our climate and clear our air.