A new year, a (mostly) new Council and things got off to a light start in the first Council meeting of 2019. In fact besides the passing of previous meeting minutes, there was only one public item on the Agenda.
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The Region has just sent out a update notice in regards to the two Environment Assessments (EA) it is undertaking in Grimsby. While the first Public Information Centre (PIC) was held last year and covered both EAs, they have now been split.
PHOTO CREDIT: SEAN_MARSHALL VIA FLICKR/CC
Queen’s Park has given municipalities the right to “opt-out” of allowing retail cannabis shops to legally open their doors within their borders. With a Council decision required by January 22, 2019, the Town has began a public engagement strategy to weigh public opinion.
Photo Credit: Chris Carter – Bob Tymczyszyn , The St. Catharines Standard
Much like voters cleaned house of local and Regional councils in October, Niagara Region’s acting CAO, Ron Tripp picked up the same broom and started getting rid of those that the electors could not sweep out.
Monday’s meeting of Council marks the first “regular business” session for the new Council, but also the last meeting of Council for 2018. As such, the agenda is quite a mixed bag of goodies.
Following Metrolinx’s announcement of a new approach to GO in Niagara, seeking third-party partners to invest in bringing transit service to the region… which seemingly put the brakes on plans, the Province today announced GO Trains to/from Niagara Falls & St. Kitt’s in January 2019.
While this past weekend provided our new Council an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of municipal governance in training sessions, there was an immediate item of business which was in open session on Sunday… the Hydro Boards.
The powers that be at Queens Park have introduced Bill 66, although entitled “Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act”, it could have serious implications allowing municipalities to short-circuit existing planning and environmental legislation when it comes to certain development.
After a “Hail Mary” play by Sandy Annunziata to try and use a 24-year old Order In Council to try and control the NPCA appointment process was deflated by the Ministry of Environment, the new Regional Council sworn in today went ahead and turfed Annunziata and the previous NPCA Board.
IMAGE CREDIT: RANDY RISLING / TORONTO STAR
The Auditor General in her examination of two proposed GO stations concluded that “Metrolinx inappropriately recommended the province build them under pressure from the former transportation minister and the City of Toronto”.