To all GWCA Members and Residents of Glen Williams,
The Ontario Government has recently tabled Bill 66 “Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act” which, if passed, could have a significant impact on the character of the hamlet.
This Bill will allow municipalities like Halton Hills to provide exemptions to planning and environmental legislation for the purposes of allowing economic development. What this means in practice is that Municipalities will be able to provide businesses with exemptions to other acts, including the Greenbelt Act (2005) and the Clean Water Act (2006), for the purposes of furthering economic (non-residential) development.
As the Hamlet is bordered by the Greenbelt on three sides, the potential for exposing these areas to development presents a real risk to the quality of life of all Hamlet residents. In addition, the protection of the Credit River, the historic driver of our community, will be severely weakened.
The Provincial Government has issued a call for comments, on these proposed changes and we would advocate that all GWCA members and Residents voice your opinions through the official website.
As well please contact our MPP, Ted Arnott, to let your views be known. Mr. Arnott can be reached here:
ted.arnott@pc.ola.org
416-325-3880
519-787-5247
The Board of the GWCA will be reaching out to our MPP, the new Halton Hills council, and we will also be making an official submission. Our message: We feel that the weakening of the Greenbelt Act, the Planning Act, the Clean Water Act and others, will have negative and irrevocable impacts on our community, and that this legislation should not be passed.
We also believe that the Government should keep to its election promise to protect “the Greenbelt in its entirety”
Follow the link to get a full view of the proposed Bill.
Respectfully,
The Board of the Glen Williams Community Association
