{"id":637071,"date":"2022-05-04T11:01:58","date_gmt":"2022-05-04T11:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/environmentaldefence.ca\/?p=33363"},"modified":"2022-05-04T11:01:58","modified_gmt":"2022-05-04T11:01:58","slug":"government-of-ontario-violates-environmental-rights-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2022\/05\/04\/government-of-ontario-violates-environmental-rights-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Government of Ontario Violates Environmental Rights \u2013 Again"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Significant amendments made to Planning Act without required public consultation<\/em><\/p>\n

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE, EARTHROOTS, ONTARIO NATURE, SMART GROWTH WATERLOO REGION<\/p>\n

Toronto | Traditional territories of the Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Chippewas and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation \u2013 With the recent passing of Bill 109, the Government of Ontario made significant amendments to the Planning Act,<\/em> violating legal requirements set out in Ontario\u2019s Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993 (EBR). Even though obliged to provide a minimum 30-day public comment period on the proposed changes, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing prematurely terminated the consultation before the 30 days had elapsed. Leading environmental organizations assert that the adverse impacts of these changes to farmland, water systems and natural areas will be significant.<\/p>\n

The Planning Act<\/em> amendments will reduce planning timelines, limit appeals and broaden the Ontario Land Tribunal\u2019s jurisdiction over major land use planning matters. Also among the changes is the establishment of a new Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator tool intended to expedite development approvals by circumventing provincial land use plans, the Provincial Policy Statement and municipal Official Plans.<\/p>\n

This is not the first time that the Government of Ontario has violated the EBR\u2019s public consultation requirements. The Auditor General of Ontario raised a similar concern in 2020 when the government passed Bill 197, amending the Planning Act<\/em> without meeting EBR public consultation requirements. In that case, a group of concerned organizations and individuals mounted a successful legal challenge. The Ontario Divisional Court determined that the Government of Ontario broke the law and that the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing had acted \u201cunreasonably and unlawfully\u201d in failing to consult with the public.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Government of Ontario is a repeat offender. We had a court ruling on a remarkably similar issue last year \u2013 unlawful amendments to the Planning Act<\/em> brought forward by the same ministry and the same minister. Such contempt for our rights and our laws is deeply disturbing,\u201d said Caroline Schultz, Executive Director of Ontario Nature<\/p>\n

\u201cThe government has chosen once again to ignore the rule of law and expedite development at any cost. These actions suggest a profound disrespect for our environmental rights and for our legal system,\u201d said Tim Gray, Executive Director of Environmental Defence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator is bad news. It rebrands and takes Minister\u2019s Zoning Orders to the next level opening a new pathway to circumvent laws and policies intended to protect our farmland, water, wildlife and natural areas,\u201d said Kevin Thomason, Co-founder of Smart Growth Waterloo Region.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have reached out to Ontario\u2019s Commissioner of the Environment, Tyler Schulz, asking him to raise the issue with the offending ministry \u2013 Municipal Affairs and Housing. At the very least, we are looking for a clear commitment and steps the ministry will take to ensure it never again violates legal obligations under the EBR,\u201d said Franz Hartmann, Executive Director of Earthroots.<\/p>\n

About<\/p>\n

About ONTARIO NATURE (ontarionature.org<\/a>): Ontario Nature protects wild species and wild spaces through conservation, education and public engagement. A charitable organization, Ontario Nature represents more than 30,000 members and supporters, and 160 member groups across Ontario.<\/p>\n

About EARTHROOTS (earthroots.org<\/a>): Earthroots is a grassroots conservation organization dedicated to the protection of Ontario\u2019s wilderness, wildlife and watersheds, through research, education and action.<\/p>\n

About ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca<\/a>): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.<\/p>\n

About SMART GROWTH WATERLOO REGION (smartgrowthwaterloo.ca<\/a>): Smart Growth Waterloo Region is a grassroots community group focused on engaging citizens in planning issues to help ensure thriving local communities and a sustainable countryside.<\/p>\n

-30-<\/p>\n

Media Inquiries<\/p>\n

John Hassell, Director of Communications and Engagement, Ontario Nature, johnh@ontarionature.org\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Allen Braude, Environmental Defence, abraude@environmentaldefence.ca<\/a><\/p>\n

The post Government of Ontario Violates Environmental Rights \u2013 Again<\/a> appeared first on Environmental Defence<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

This post was originally published on Environmental Defence<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Significant amendments made to Planning Act without required public consultation ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE, EARTHROOTS, ONTARIO NATURE, SMART GROWTH WATERLOO REGION Toronto | Traditional territories of…Read More<\/a><\/p>\n

The post Government of Ontario Violates Environmental Rights \u2013 Again<\/a> appeared first on Environmental Defence<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":717,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[529,24076],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637071"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/717"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=637071"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637071\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":637238,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637071\/revisions\/637238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=637071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=637071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=637071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}