Stop Bill 66 Signs
Help stop Bill 66 with a lawn sign.
Select the sign (or signs) you want.
They will be available to pick up in Barrie, Midhurst, and Cookstown.
We are also happy to deliver if possible, just let us know your needs by dropping us a line, at info@simcoecountygreenbelt.ca.
(Note that we have a limited number of signs available.)
Sign upSometimes effective action is quick and easy.
Two phone calls, each two minutes long to help protect Ontario's water.
Step 1. Give the Premier's office a call:
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(It will be a staffer that answers.) Tell them why you are calling. For example, you're concerned about Bill 66, that you want schedule 10, which provides for the "Open-for-business planning by-laws", removed. If you'd like a list of facts to use, click here. Tell them why this is important to you. For instance, you want to ensure water quality is protected, or you want to ensure local agriculture is supported. If you've signed up for our "Note to Self" feature, tell them about it and that it will help inform your vote come Election Day. (If you haven't and want to know what it's all about, it's here.) Finally, be kind. These folks probably have to deal with more than their fair share of angry people. Let's keep our advocacy positive. |
Step 2. Then, if you're feeling ambitious, give our MPPs a call:
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Jill Dunlop (Simcoe North) |
705-526-8671 |
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Andrea Khanjin (Barrie-Innisfil) |
705-722-0575 |
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Doug Downey (Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte) |
705-726-5538 |
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Caroline Mulroney (York-Simcoe) |
905-895-1555 |
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Jim Wilson (Simcoe-Grey) |
705-446-1090 |
And that's it!
If you're looking for extra inspiration, and haven't already seen it, check out Margaret giving the Premier's office a call.
And we have Sandy making the call, too!
Bill 66: Setting the record straight
The Ford government has introduced Bill 66, an omnibus bill which, as currently written, includes a clause that overrides legislation that ensure your water and environment are protected and preserved for your children and grandchildren.
The language of the Bill seems clear, but the government, including MPPs representing our area, have been making statements contrary to what the Bill entails.
It is important that the public has clarity about the impacts this legislation might have. Here we outline key issues impacted by Bill 66 under headings indicating talking points you may have heard from Ford government reps:
Talking Point: Cutting 'Red Tape' |
Red Tape Exists for a Reason
The Clean Water Act is the direct result of deaths that happened due to contaminated drinking water in Walkerton, Ontario.
In his 2002 report on the matter, Justice O'Connor determined the "Red Tape Commission" of the Mike Harris government, and its obsession with cutting regulations, was in large part responsible. (More on this...)
In another recent example of the consequences of cutting red tape, 47 people died when a train barrelled into the centre of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, and exploded.
Cutting by Creating More?
Conservative MPPs have defended the provisions in the bill by saying it doesn't give the Minister powers they don't already have, and that technicalities in the bill, such as a geographic initiative feature in the Great Lakes Protection Act that isn't currently in use, render perceived threats meaningless since there's nothing to which it will apply.
If this is the case - if these provisions effect no new change - why bring such provisions into law?
This contradicts the stated intent of Bill 66 to eliminate needless regulations and reduce regulatory duplication.
Talking Point:Bill 66 Doesn't Threaten the Greenbelt |
Schedule 10 of Bill 66 states:
The following provisions do not apply to an open-for-business planning by-law:
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6. Section 39 of the Clean Water Act, 2006.
7. Section 20 of the Great Lakes Protection Act, 2015.
8. Section 7 of the Greenbelt Act, 2005.
9. Section 6 of the Lake Simcoe Protection Act, 2008.
Section 7, along with the respective sections 39, 20, and 6 of the other acts, simply states that the decisions under the Planning Act must conform to each respective act.
Stating, as schedule 10 does, that these sections do not apply means decisions made in accordance with Bill 66 and under the Planning Act can be made without regard to the Clean Water Act, the Great Lakes Protection Act, the Greenbelt Act, and the Lake Simcoe Protection Act.
Talking Point:It's Needed to Create Jobs |
Jobs for a day? Jobs for a month?
There is very little clarity regarding the type of jobs required under this legislation. Is the job criteria met, for example, by a job that lasts one day, one month, or one year?
Near record high employment.
Employment is high. Bill 66 has been introduced at a time when Ontario's unemployment rate is hovering near an 18-year low.
Jobs and a healthy environment go hand-in-hand.
Clean water supports jobs, whether by providing them directly in tourism and recreation or by supporting a high quality of life that attracts families to live and work in Ontario.
Making Ontario Attractive to Business.
Planning for jobs is also about supporting a quality of life that is attractive to high demand labour, including those with skills in creative industries. This means planning for complete communities, which is not planning in the piece-meal approach advanced by this Bill.
Talking Point:Employment Lands Are Needed |
Simcoe County's stock of employment lands, or land that is designated under the Places to Grow Act for development for accommodating employment, is 122% of what is was in 2010.
In its land budget analysis, both in 2010 and most recently in 2017, Simcoe County was deemed to have amply supply to meet demand.
Talking Point:Municipalities Want It |
Many municipalities are already saying it goes too far.
Mayors from Guelph, Barrie, Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, among others, have already said Bill 66 goes too far.
When did they say they want it?
No consultation process with municipalities regarding this Bill has been made public.
Talking Point:Municipalities Won't Make Decisions Unilaterally |
Doug Downey has been quoted saying that municipalities will not be able to make decisions under Bill 66 unilaterally.
No public notice required.
Section 10 of Bill 66 states:
"(11) No notice or hearing is required prior to the passing of an open-for-business planning by-law, but the municipality shall give notice of the by-law,
(a) within three days of the passing thereof to the Minister in the prescribed manner; and
(b) within 30 days of the passing thereof to any persons or public bodies the municipality considers proper in such manner as the municipality considers proper.
Accountability means being transparent to the public.
What Mr. Downey says is true only in the strictest sense. A municipality can only make decisions under Bill 66 with the approval of the Minister.
It is also true, however, that Bill 66 allows municipalities to make decisions without the knowledge or well-informed approval of its citizens.
Stop Bill 66
Help stop Bill 66.
Add your name and help protect water, the environment, and our communities. If you would like to upload a photo of a place that you are worried may be negatively affected by Bill 66 you can do that too!
The Lake Simcoe Protection Act, Clean Water Act, the Greenbelt Act, the Great Lakes Protection Act, the Oak Ridges Moraine Act, and the Places to Grow Act must be respected.
They were established to protect the safety of drinking water, the integrity of Ontario's local agricultural economy, and to ensure and enhance the quality of life of our built communities.
*Note: This petition is intended for use in Simcoe County.
Please sign these other petitions as well:
For more information:
Bill 66: Setting the Record Straight
Environment Defence: Ontario's Environmental Laws Are Under Attack
The Toronto Star: Bill 66 would undermine clean-water protections
AWARE Simcoe: Forgetting Walkerton
I am deeply concerned about the impact Bill 66 may have on the safety of our water, on the integrity of our local agriculture community, on the health of our green spaces, and on the sustainability of our communities.
I ask that my municipality assure its citizens that it will not use the provisions under Schedule 10 of Bill 66, which override protections for the health and well-being of Ontario's citizens, including those established under the Lake Simcoe Protection Act, the Clean Water Act, the Greenbelt Act, the Great Lakes Protection Act, the Oak Ridges Moraine Act, and the Places to Grow Act.
Press Release: Local Coalitions call on municipalities to reject Bill 66 and stand up for water, smart growth
December 20, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Barrie - Local groups concerned about the future health of Lake Simcoe, Georgian Bay and protection of our drinking water are now calling on municipalities within Simcoe County and the Lake Simcoe watershed to take a stand against Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act. An open letter was sent to all municipal councils urging them to “...reassure...citizens that their water and green spaces won’t be sacrificed,” by passing a Council resolution declaring that they will not use the powers provided in Bill 66, should the bill become law.
Several mayors across the GTA and Barrie’s Jeff Lehman have made public statements to that end. Recently, Aurora council was the first to pass a resolution that declared they would not use Bill 66 due to its threat to the Greenbelt, its water and collective vision for their community.
Says Executive Director of the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition, Margaret Prophet, “We know that municipalities within Simcoe County and around Lake Simcoe have worked hard to put source water protection plans in place, implement the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan, and ensure that their official plans best reflect their community’s vision and needs. All we’re asking them to do now is uphold their values and their community’s best interest by rejecting this bill publicly. Citizens need reassurance that local councils want to maintain transparency and protect our water.”
The bill is intended to give municipalities powers to expedite employment development applications, but at the cost of stripping away policies that protect our drinking water, the Lake Simcoe and Great Lakes watersheds, and the Greenbelt. Further, it would allow municipalities to pass an Open for Business Bylaw without informing or consulting the public, treaty holders or potentially affected landowners such as farmers or neighbours.
“It would be more productive if the province dealt with the issue they have identified directly, which is ensuring Ontario has the best environment possible for good paying and meaningful jobs far into the future. The province can eliminate duplicative policies and regulations without cancelling or rendering meaningless those that protect public health and well-being,” says Claire Malcolmson, Executive Director of the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition.
The public and municipalities can provide their comments about Bill 66 until January 20. That means that if councils do not move quickly on this item, they will lose the opportunity to provide feedback on within the formal consultation period of this bill.
For more information about the policies that Bill 66 targets, you can review the Canadian Environmental Law Association’s briefing or more in depth policy review.
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About the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition www.simcoecountygreenbelt.ca: The Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition is a diverse coalition of 35 organizations from across Simcoe County and the province calling on local and provincial leaders to better protect our water resources, green spaces and farmland through smart growth and sustainable policies including expansion of the Greenbelt into Simcoe County.
For media inquiries please contact:
Margaret Prophet, Executive Director, SCGC
phone: 705-718-1383
email: margaret@simcoecountygreenbelt.ca
About: The Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition is a lake-wide member based organization that provides leadership and inspires people to take action to protect Lake Simcoe. www.rescuelakesimcoe.org
For media inquiries please contact:
Claire Malcolmson, Executive Director
phone: 647-267-7572
Open Letter to Mayors and Council: Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act
A letter, co-written by SCGC and the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition, sent to Simcoe County Mayors and council members.
December 19, 2018
Dear Mayor and Council,
RE: Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act
The Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition represents 17 local groups of citizens who are concerned about the health of Lake Simcoe. The Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition represents 35 groups from across Simcoe County and the province including ratepayers, naturalists, indigenous communities and climate advocates who want to create a more prosperous Simcoe County through protection of our water, green spaces and sustainable development.
Recently, the provincial government tabled Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act. This bill would enable municipalities to pass an Open for Business Bylaw which would remove key protective policies for our water, farmland and green spaces in favour of expediently processing development applications which may create employment opportunities. These policies which are under attack are not small, insignificant pieces of legislation. Rather they are keystone policies that keep our water clean and safe to drink, including the Clean Water Act, the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan and the Great Lakes Protection Act.
Our coalitions stand behind these protective policies and their implementation because we know that local economies and the public’s health rely on them. For example, Lake Simcoe contributes $200 M per year to its regional economy. The Clean Water Act, which was a direct to the tragedies in Walkerton, ensures that drinking water sources for Ontarians are free from contamination. We appreciate the need for economic opportunities, but we strongly believe that economic opportunities do not have to come at the expense of our drinking water, lakes or green spaces.
And some of your fellow mayors agree with us on that point. On Thursday December 13th, the Mayor of Barrie, Jeff Lehman, added his name to the growing list of Mayors who have criticized Bill 66. The Mayors of Hamilton, Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, Aurora, Oakville and Guelphhave also come out against Bill 66. These mayors appreciate the need to protect public health and understand their economies depend on a healthy environment.
Many citizens are very concerned about Bill 66. They want to hear that their councils believe community development and protection of our environment can coexist and be mutually supportive. To learn more about Bill 66 see the Canadian Environmental Law Association’s briefing document at : http://www.cela.ca/sites/cela.ca/files/CELABriefingNote- Bill66andCWA.pdf
Today, we are calling on all municipal councils in the Lake Simcoe watershed, and in Simcoe County, to reassure those citizens that their water and green spaces won’t be sacrificed. We respectfully ask that your council put safety and good regulation first and publicly commit not to use Bill 66. To that end, we enclose an example motion which could be considered by your council.
We would appreciate notification of any actions taken by Council regarding Bill 66. Sincerely,
Claire Malcolmson
Executive Director, Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition rescuelakesimcoecoalition@gmail.com
Margaret Prophet
Executive Director, Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition margaret@simcoecountygreenbelt.ca
Joint Press Release: Ontario’s “Open For Business” Bill Endangers Simcoe County’s Water and Green Spaces
December 10, 2018
Joint press release regarding the perils of Ontario’s “Open for Business” Bill 66 from Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition, Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition and Ontario Headwaters Institute
Barrie, ON - On Thursday, December 6, the provincial government tabled legislation known as the “Open for Business Bill”, or Bill 66. This bill provides municipalities with powers that endanger the clean water, healthy environment, and vibrant farming communities that make Ontario the best place in the world to live, play, and work. Bill 66 will allow developers access to formerly protected areas within the Greenbelt, Oak Ridges Moraine, Source Water Protection Areas, and the Lake Simcoe Watershed.
Bill 66 allows municipalities to get Ministerial approval for “Open for Business planning bylaws”, without notifying the public. Those bylaws are intended to fast track development proposals that are primarily (but not limited to) employment uses. But the bar is low. A development application needs only to provide for 50 jobs in order to qualify for application of this bylaw in most of the province. Having provided for jobs, the development application can include residential, industrial and commercial uses. And since development applications approved under the “Open for Business" bylaw sidestep public consultation and all of the environmental regulations listed above, it could lead to land uses that contaminate our water and destroy our protected green spaces.
Let’s not forget that the 2000 Walkerton tragedy, in which seven people died, can be traced back in part to a Red Tape Commission launched in 1995 by then premier Mike Harris, which also aimed to open Ontario for business after years of "provincial red-tape fatigue.” Some of the policies that could potentially be subverted under Bill 66 were created following the Walkerton tragedy.
Margaret Prophet, Executive Director of the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition, says, “Our drinking water is already under threat considering the number of private wells and vulnerable aquifers that don’t receive fulsome protection from contamination or over-extraction. And this bill adds municipal wells to the list of water sources under threat. Why would we even consider putting people’s water at risk? Who does this benefit?”
This bill also ignores the reality that some planning is best done at a regional level, to ensure region-wide systems, such as watersheds, continue to function properly. Local knowledge and sound science play a central role in regional planning documents such as the Greenbelt Plan and Lake Simcoe Protection Plan. “Without these regional planning documents we put the public interest at risk,” argues Prophet.
For Lake Simcoe, this bill is bad news for a body of water already under threat. Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition Executive Director, Claire Malcolmson, states, “Bill 66 is completely inconsistent with the Province’s recent “Made in Ontario Environment Plan”, which stated last week that the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan would continue to be implemented. The targets and protections in the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan are based on extensive scientific research. Allowing any development to sidestep these protections is a threat to the Lake, the quality of life of its residents, and to the local tourism industry which depends on Lake Simcoe’s health. If this goes ahead, we may as well start planning Lake Simcoe’s funeral.”
The Ontario Headwaters Institute (OHI) for its part is concerned about how the new bill will impact both water and nature. According to Executive Director, Andrew McCammon, “Over the last year, the OHI conducted numerous workshops to craft common visions for a sustainable Ontario. In Simcoe, as elsewhere, it was clear that communities want more protection for our water and our natural areas, not less. We shared those results with the province and rather than extending such protections, the Ford government appears intent on curtailing them. We need sound government policies that balance development and environmental protection, not unaccountable growth that threatens Ontario’s ecology.”
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About the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition: www.simcoecountygreenbelt.ca: The Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition is a diverse coalition of 35 organizations from across Simcoe County and the province calling on local and provincial leaders to better protect our water resources, green spaces and farmland through smart growth and sustainable policies including expansion of the Greenbelt into Simcoe County.
For media inquiries please contact: Margaret Prophet, co-chair, SCGC
705-718-1383 email: margaret@simcoecountygreenbelt.ca
About: The Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition is a lake-wide member based organization that provides leadership and inspires people to take action to protect Lake Simcoe. www.rescuelakesimcoe.org
For media inquiries please contact: Claire malcolmson, Executive Director
647-267-7572 rescuelakesimcoecoalition@gmail.com
