ERO-019-6216 Proposed Amendments to Greenbelt Plan & ERO-019-6217 – Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt Area boundary regulation – Joint

By Linda Heron on Thursday, December 1st, 2022

Posted in Bill 23, Environmental Bill of Rights, Environmental Registry, Greenbelt, Joint, Municipal, Urban Development

West Credit River. Photo by Steve Noakes.

We, the 78 undersigned organizations, are strongly opposed to the Ontario Government’s proposal to remove 7,400 acres of land from the Greenbelt. Opening these lands to development would destroy vital wildlife corridors, negatively impact woodlands, wetlands and watercourses, and result in the loss of over 5,000 acres of farmland. The government’s rationale – that these lands are needed for housing – is unfounded and untrue. We urge you not to proceed with this proposal for the reasons outlined below…

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Environmental Accountability in Ontario – Consultation Paper

By Linda Heron on Friday, November 25th, 2022

Posted in Environmental Bill of Rights, ORA Submissions, Regulatory Submissions, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Species at Risk

Big Falls – Victory – stopped a proposed hydroelectric project on a sacred site!

The current government has gutted multiple key pieces of environmental legislation and policy that have taken decades to assemble. We are in a perilous state now where the requirement to consult with the public and Indigenous communities has been minimized, and the red tape cutting has gone to such extremes that public health and safety and the natural environment will be at increased risk as the climate continues to warm.

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ERO-019-4867 – EA Requirements for Advanced Recycling Facilities – Joint

By Linda Heron on Monday, February 28th, 2022

Posted in Environmental Assessment Act, Environmental Bill of Rights, Joint, Land Use, ORA Submissions, Plastic, Plastics, Recycling, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Toxics, Urban Development

“Advanced recycling” is an umbrella term, sometimes also called “chemical” or “molecular recycling” that encompasses an ever-growing list of technologies that are speculative when it comes to recycling plastic. The reality is that there is no known commercial example of an “advanced recycling” facility anywhere in the world that turns plastic waste back into plastic products or packaging.

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DRAFT PROJECT LIST REGULATION UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACT (ERO 019-4219) – Joint

By Linda Heron on Tuesday, January 25th, 2022

Posted in Energy, Environmental Assessment Act, Environmental Bill of Rights, Hydroelectric, Joint, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities

West Credit River. Photo by Steve Noakes.

Accordingly, we request that the Ministry revise and re-post the draft regulation for further public review/comment to ensure that it fully implements the stated purpose of the EAA, namely, the betterment of the people of Ontario by providing for the protection, conservation, and wise management of the environment.

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Response to MECP Decision on Application for Investigation

By Linda Heron on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021

Posted in Environmental Bill of Rights, Environmental Registry, Erin WWTP, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, Regulatory Submissions, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Sewage, West Credit River

Photo by Steve Noakes.

We were very disappointed in Ms. Paul’s decision to deny our Application for Investigation; however, we were also not surprised. This provincial government has systematically dismantled much of Ontario’s environmental policy and legislation with an ambitious goal of “cutting red tape”, and “modernizing”. They have successfully carried out their mission through specious explanations that mislead the public and deflect concern over important Environmental Registry postings and massive omnibus Bills. This method has allowed them to proceed with sweeping cuts to numerous pieces of important legislation without much public fuss – all during their declared COVID Emergency. The decision on our Application for Investigation is simply another example of bypassing key legislation to facilitate a Project that has strong community opposition.

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