BRUCEDALE – Guelph-Eramosa Township council has been urged to promise it will never use the new development powers that could be granted to municipalities if Ontario’s Bill 66 becomes law.
Susan McSherry made the appeal on behalf of Wellington Water Watchers, saying the proposed law would not only threaten farmland, wetlands and groundwater by making it easier to allow business development on currently-protected Greenbelt lands, but would be an “astonishingly undemocratic” attack on the public input process.
She said she has heard a broad range of concerns about the bill, including from members of the government, the environmental commissioner and environmental groups.
“People were absolutely outraged that their ability to speak to specific issues that would directly affect them was going to be removed,” McSherry said.
“Council is our first and sometimes our last line of defence. This proposed legislation is coming in with a terrible price. It will have political, economic and resident well-being fallout for any municipality that enacts an open-for-business bylaw.
“The province has abdicated its responsibility.”
McSherry said the de-regulation threatens two million acres of land in Ontario and “the ramifications could be catastrophic.”
She urged council to issue a public statement opposing the bill and to promise not to use the new authority.
The City of Guelph has joined some other municipalities in opposing the bill, with Mayor Cam Guthrie expressing concern about aspects that could affect public input or the city water supply.
Guelph-Eramosa Mayor Chris White said the township would make no immediate response, but “keep an eye on this legislation” and revisit it if it becomes law.
Bill 66 was introduced on Dec. 6 and was subject to a 45-day comment period, which ended on Jan. 20.
A report supplied to the township by Wellington County planners Linda Redmond and Jameson Pickard states it is part of the government’s “Open for Business Action Plan to stimulate business investment, create good jobs and make Ontario more competitive.”
Bill 66 would allow local councils to pass a special bylaw regarding lands for new major employment uses, with the ability to fast-track zoning approval. It would be exempt from a formal site plan control process.
The county report says projects would be exempt from most Planning Act requirements, including consistency with provincial policy, the provincial greenbelt and growth plans, and the policies of the local official plan.
“The municipality would have no obligation to hold statutory public meetings (but could hold such meetings at their discretion); and proposals would not be subject to appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT),” the report said.
Municipalities would apply directly to the Minister of Municipal Affairs for permission, and could include conditions “necessary for the protection of public health and safety,” the report said.
Municipalities could sign agreements with developers that would register on the title of the lands.
