Grimsby Citizens For Responsible Growth

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Motion Invites Oosterhoff To Regional Council To Talk On Bill 23

Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff decided to rebuff the invitation last year from Town Council to make a guest appearance and answer questions on Bill 23 and the Greenbelt. It now seems that Regional Council wants to take its turn in having the MPP make an appearance before them to answer questions on the contentious “More Homes Built Faster Act”.

A resolution was passed at Thursday night’s Regional Council meeting to have Chair Bradley invite MPP Oosterhoff to their chambers to answer questions about Bill 23. While the original motion centered more around environmental concerns, it was simplified to the following:

“WHEREAS we recognize the need to problem-solve and create immediate solutions regarding the affordability of homes in the Niagara Region; we also recognize the importance of continuing the work to protect our environment as noted in Niagara’s Official Plan, approved by the Provincial Government and received November 4, 2022;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

1. That Regional Council DIRECT the Regional Chair to invite MPP Sam Oosterhoff to appear before Regional Council to speak to the legislative changes in Bill 23 and provide Regional Councillors the opportunity to ask questions of MPP Sam Oosterhoff regarding the contents of Bill 23.”

The motion passed with a healthy majority, with only Councillors Foster, Gale, Insinna, Junkin, Siscoe, Sorrento and Steele voting against it.

Regional Council also indicated the possibility of a workshop at a later date on Bill 23 based on Oosterhoff’s participation. With that, it should be interesting to watch if the MPP decides to show at Regional Council and talk about his government’s legislation or pulls another no-show.

The $10 Million Waterfront Gamble: Part 3 – How Did 502 Winston Get In The Province’s Greenbelt Proposal?

With Bill 23 now passed by the Ford Government and having received Royal Assent, the proposed Greenbelt changes have now come into focus. This has spurred calls for the Premier to resign, an MPP launching a complaint to Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner and many calling for a criminal investigation due to the issue not passing the “sniff test”. With media linking possible names and political donations to the PC party, it seemed timely to return to our own local Greenbelt parcel of controversy, 502 Winston Road.

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Niagara Planning Staff Does Not Object To Greenbelt Changes, Wants More Removed From Grimsby, Regional Council Gets Confused

At the Regional Council meeting on December 1st, a report was put forward by the Region’s Planning Commissioner, Michelle Sergi, stating that her department’s opinion was that they “do not object” to the proposed changes by the Province on the two impacted Greenbelt properties in Grimsby. The report went further to suggest that two additional sites, including the area south of Grimsby’s proposed GO Station, adjacent to the Woodlot, and one in Lincoln (East Prudhomme’s) should be considered for removal from the Greenbelt.

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Town Announces Departure of CAO Harry Schlange

The Town released a media statement today regarding the departure of CAO Harry Schlange. Mr. Schlange will no longer be with the Town as of December 5, 2022 based upon a “mutual agreement” between him and the Town.

This move was not unexpected, given some of the controversies during his tenure in Grimsby and the common “shuffling of the CAO deck” by new terms of Councils in the province.

The Director of Legislative Services/Municipal Clerk, Ms. Sarah Kim, will fill the role as Acting CAO in the interim.

The full statement from the Town can be read at this link here.

Niagara Centre MPP Burch Calls Out Associate Minister of Housing on Greenbelt & PC Donations

Tuesday morning’s Question Period at Queen’s Park had an interesting exchange between Niagara Centre MPP Jeff Burch and Ontario’s Associate Minister of Housing, Michael Parsa. Burch makes some great points about the Greenbelt, existing land for development and included a glimpse into the “coincidences” of Greenbelt-owning land developers also being generous with donations to the PC party.

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