‘Developer cronies’
Dear Editor:
A simple question: if Premier Doug Ford believes Ontario needs to prepare for the influx of half a million immigrants in the very near future, (his excuse to grab valuable Greenbelt lands for new housing) that suggests a further burden on our already over-utilized and understaffed and crumbling health infrastructure.
What about fixing the health system first for our existing residents and get the emergency rooms staffed, nurses properly compensated, hospitals upgraded – instead of building unneeded highways over farmland and depriving us of irreplaceable farmland?
Mr. Ford’s vision of the future of Ontario is apparently directed more toward his developer cronies than the people who considered him fit to be premier building a better Ontario.
Brian Arsenault,
East Garafraxa
‘Draconian’ bill
Dear Editor:
RE: County councillors concerned about impacts of province’s Bill 23, Dec. 8.
Thank you to our municipal politicians and county staff for pointing out many of the shortcomings of Bill 23. This draconian “Trojan horse” bill was rammed through the legislature and ultimately will undermine our local governance, environmental protection, land use planning and municipal tax system to pay for the so-called “housing crisis,” more or less centred in Toronto.
Our planning system is being portrayed as the fall guy in all of this as “red tape” getting in the way of development; editorial note here – this system is what has given us the many things in our communities that we hold dear – summed up as our quality of life. Bill 23 adds substantial costs to the overall environment (undermining watershed planning, protection of natural features like wetlands, increased flooding), our agricultural land base (through more rural sprawl development) and increases in municipal property taxes (to subsidize developers in DCs/parkland dedication offsets that will not guarantee new affordable housing).
I’m very disappointed that our local MPPs have all sided with the dictates of Premier Doug Ford in this fiasco. They have not spoken up when people were prevented from speaking to the government in the bill’s review, e.g., AMO, indigenous peoples.
Where is Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott in all this? Why has he not spoken up when the government has been systematically cutting protections of our environmental system over the past four years, i.e., elimination of the provincial Environmental Commissioner’s office, cutting of provincial tree planting initiatives, reducing the good regulatory roles of our conservation authorities, lessening protections for endangered species, removing Greenbelt lands, etc.?
It is a very sad state of affairs here in Ontario!
Paul Kraehling,
Guelph
‘Not a great thinker’
Dear Editor:
RE: The keyway, Dec. 1.
Advertiser publisher Dave Adsett was absolutely right when he said in his editorial regarding Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, that while it is true that we need more homes, they need to be in the right places. Planning where they will go and what type of home should be done carefully.
With health and education systems already overwhelmed, homes need to be within reach of these systems, not dependant on a brand new highway like the 413 and dotted throughout the Greenbelt.
And they need to be the right kind of homes as well, and that takes planning. About 1.5 million immigrant families could mean a lot of children. How many of those families will be able to afford to pay $600K to $800K, the average cost of a family home in rural Ontario?
How many of those homes will be family condos or rental apartments? How many of those families will be able to buy a car as well as carry a mortgage, to get to and from their jobs which presumably will rarely be near their homes? What sort of public transit is planned? How many of those 1.5 million wage-earners will be English speakers, or will a large number need help from ESL teachers?
Bill 23 is remarkably poorly thought out, but perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised. After all, our premier is not a great thinker.
It is on record that he attended Humber College, but he dropped out after a few months.
The concept that carving into the Greenbelt could hasten climate change in this province, why and how it will happen and how deadly it could be, is likely beyond his comprehension.
Susan Johnson,
Everton
‘Very unpopular bill’
Dear Editor:
An open letter to Steven Guilbeault, federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Minister Guilbeault, as a concerned citizen in Ontario I strongly suggest you request a federal environmental assessment of the areas that Premier Doug Ford would like to develop in the sensitive areas of the Greenbelt.
There was no consultation by Ford’s government with regards to the proposed development for housing.
There currently is enough identified land for development without touching the Greenbelt. This is merely a gift to Mr. Ford’s developer contributors. There is no concern for environmental impacts.
This is a very unpopular bill and Ford previously promised he would not touch this area. We have no support from our Wellington-Hills MPP Ted Arnott and our federal MP Michael Chong.
We really need your help as minister.
Gregory Bowman,
Fergus
‘Ill-conceived plan’
Dear Editor:
We expect a reasonable amount of affordable housing to come out of Bill 23. I can’t see a strategy that will achieve affordability for middle class and struggling families, and no way for municipalities to be able to provide infrastructure to support these ill conceived developments.
Right now, cities can draft their own Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) policies and mandate developers to set aside 20 to 30% of units as affordable. But with this new bill, the developers will be required to set aside a mere 5% of units in new developments as affordable.
This will also mean less energy efficient construction. It will increase the number of cars on the roads. It will require car dependency or greater public transportation expenses. It will increase property taxes.
There will be 11-room houses denying the ability of average folks to own homes and unnecessarily blowing energy consumption through the roof!
It is likely to result in fewer and more expensive homes, and higher costs for services paid by the taxpayers – us!
It will enable wholesale destruction of wetland habitats and conservation lands – and expose us all to a much higher risk of floods and other disasters.
It cuts conservation authorities off at the knees and weakens their ability to maintain stewardship over our fragile ecosystem.
This ill-conceived plan waters down or ignores required zoning reforms, creating barriers to constructing new affordable housing. The government’s own documents admit only 50,000 of a total 1,500,000 homes would be created province-wide.
When will this secretive, haphazard decision-making with calculated advantage to private companies over the public good end?
Please do what you can to fight this awful decision. Write letters, call your MPP, call anyone who has influence over what happens here or we can say goodbye to our beautiful and previously-protected green spaces.
Gerry Walsh,
Erin
Troubled by bills
Dear Editor:
RE: Ontario’s Bill 39 (Strong Mayors) “For Better Municipal Governance” and Bill 23 “More Homes Built Faster”.
I am troubled on so many levels by both these bills as I am concerned with the degree of authority being removed from our municipal level. There is so much at stake in this government’s proposal of these bills.
Does Bill 39 not remove the essence of municipal democracy? Is it not ripe for misuse of power? Is it not ripe for corruption?
Does not the removal of authority and funding from our conservation authorities ill equip us to protect people from improperly located building sites and conditions? Does it keep people safe from our water and our water safe from our people especially as we prepare for ongoing climate adjustment?
Does not the removal of municipal levies for developers lay the cost and burden of development on the existing tax payers? Is this not unconscionable.?
Does the removal of the teeth in each municipality’s carefully and reasonably successfully prepared planning documents set us up for a mass of poorly planned and poorly serving development?
Does building houses in this environment really target the category required “affordable” when labour shortage and material shortage drives up the cost and the cheapest house a developer can build is still four times the cost that most Ontarian’s can afford?
Would investments in mental health and general health care, and consideration of living wage not better address our homeless crises?
Is there a way to assess how much availability of housing units is tied up in Airbnb and short-term rental which could be addressed with zoning?
Could we not address empty units owned by investors especially in the Toronto condo market which has finally reached saturation?
What about reinvesting in severance of rural homes instead of bulldozing them to create better scenarios for farmers acquiring land with no desire to be renters.
What about the calculation of our baby boomer housing stock that may soon flood the market?
How many rental units are being removed from people’s reach with “renovictions” now allowed?
Pam Farrow,
Holstein
Dog guides fundraiser
Dear Editor:
The Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides is building the future to serve more Canadians and many thanks to the citizens of Centre Wellington, as you helped.
During 2022 the Fergus and Marsville Lions Clubs held numerous fundraisers but the actual Walk for Dog Guides in May raised over $13,600. Our thanks to walkers, donors, sponsors and our biggest sponsor Pet Valu. In addition $4,000 was donated from proceeds from the May 2022 Fergus Lions Home and Leisure Show and we thank those who supported this show, after its cancellation for two years.
Right now, in Canada, there are 1,100 active Lions service dogs, but recently COVID-19 has restricted travel and in-person training, and there is a lot of catch-up work to do.
The foundation’s plan is to expand, with a goal of 250 dog guides per year. Opening in 2025, a new planned state-of-the-art facility in Ontario will allow Dog Guides to train more dogs and help more people. With one in five Canadians living with a disability the need continues to grow.
We thank all those who supported Lions Walk for Dog Guides in 2022. We could not go door-to-door with pledge sheets but the puppies being trained needed to be fed and cared for. We thank the staff at Lions Foundation of Canada, in Oakville, worked under very difficult circumstances and the volunteer fostering families who raised the puppies and socialized them, under restricted public gatherings.
The Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides is one of numerous charities we Lions support and with your help more can be done in 2023.
Thank you, Centre Wellington.
Ben Collings,
Co-chair Fergus and Marsville Lions Clubs Walk for Dog Guides
Parade success
Dear Editor:
The Optimist Gods must have been with us! The rain stopped long enough on Nov. 27 for the Optimist Club of Puslinch’s annual Santa Claus Parade to travel down the streets of Aberfoyle, bringing Santa to the kids.
Lots of kids smiles and happy parents and grandparents got everyone in the festive mood. The music, floats, clowns, mascots, characters, police, fire and Santa, brought joy and made it a very special afternoon.
Santa Claus was his jolly good self and greeted each of the boys and girls with a big smile, picture and goody bag. Lots of Dear Santa letters were collected, 68 plus. About 500 hot dogs, hot chocolate and special Christmas music by the Salvation Army band were enjoyed by all and 147kg of food was collected for the food bank. Extra proceeds and goody bags were donated to the Adopt a Family Children’s Foundation. Way to go Puslinch!
Thank you to all our sponsors, parade organizers, participants and volunteers. We couldn’t do it without you.
This event is made possible through the generous support of our local businesses, companies, organizations, individuals and community members. Please thank them and support them.
A Change of Pace Restaurant, Aberfoyle Snowmobiles Ltd., Benson Tire, Brennan’s Tire Service Inc., Bryan’s Farm & Industrial Supply, C.K. Vernon Construction, Capital Paving Inc., County of Wellington Roads Dept. Aberfoyle, Dar Max Inc., Dr. Abraham AHO Veterinary Professional Corp., Farley Manufacturing Inc., Great Wall Restaurant, Hammond Power Solutions, Henry Deter, Ken Tosh, Michael’s Mobile Truck & Trailer Repair, Molly Maid, Blue Triton Brands (formerly Nestle Water), North America Construction Ltd., Reefer Sales & Service Inc., Shar-A-Tree Christmas Trees, Township of Puslinch, Township of Puslinch Fire & Roads Depts., Victoria Park East & Valley Golf Clubs, Village Restaurant, Vinnie’s Mr. Fixit Inc., Wall-Custance Funeral Home Ltd., Wellington OPP, Wellington Systems Inc., and all the people that entered floats and participated in the parade.
Merry Christmas. Yours in Optimism.
Brenda Law,
Parade Committee
Fergus parade thanks
Dear Editor:
As Fergus Santa Claus Parade marshal, it is my esteemed pleasure to announce that, once again, we had a phenomenal parade on Dec. 3.
The weather was uncertain and yes, blustery cold at the assembly lot (thank you A.O. Smith for allowing us that privilege), however, reports claimed that in-town the winds subsided and the parade barely noticed the effects.
There were a few cancellations due to the weather, however 98% of all registered floats/walking groups appeared. My impressions come from the parade participants – so if you were there and liked the event, please share.
It went well. It could not have done so without the volunteers and members of the service club organizations who sponsor the parade. Kudos to the Fergus Optimists, Kinsmen, Rotary, Lions, Knights of Columbus, and all non-member volunteers; without you we could not have done it. Thanks to Elliott Bus lines for the registration/warming bus – you are tops.
Many local businesses and youth groups were involved and we salute you all! By the way, if Remedy’s Rx float left you wondering, mummers are a Newfoundland Christmas tradition (Google it).
Thanks to the Ringettes, the Fergus Army Cadets, The Fergus Mustangs, and the Cub Scouts for being there – youth groups like yours are the future of us all. Special thanks to Shoetopia Fergus for collecting the CW Food Bank donations – good job, Peter. Austin Cardinell and the Grand 101, thanks for the commentary.
Lastly, a big heartfelt thank you to our first responders – CW OPP and Fergus Fire Rescue – as well as the Branch 275 Fergus Legion for leading the parade. We all are better because of you! And finally, thanks to all the residents of this wonderful community we call home for coming out and supporting the parade. You, as always, are tops.
Brian Martin,
Parade marshall, Fergus Lions Club
‘An inspiration’
Dear Editor:
RE: Former Erin couple celebrates 75th anniversary, Dec. 1.
Congratulations to Jean and Howard Edgerton who recently celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary.
What an amazing article this was and, what an amazingly active life these folks have lived.
I’d say all that step dancing, square dancing, travel and fiddling around have been a well-kept secret to staying in the mix as seniors.
Keep on keeping on, Jean and Howard, you are truly an inspiration to us all.
Liz Hughes,
Puslinch