Update on TRCA’s Response to Provincial Legislative and Regulatory Changes
November 25, 2022
TRCA Staff,
This week, the government moved Bill 23 into third reading. While TRCA and our partner municipalities did everything in our power to defer approval until an appropriate consultation was completed and suggested pragmatic amendments for the legislation, our efforts were unsuccessful. The Standing Committee made no amendments to the Conservation Authorities Act, Schedule 2, of Bill 23. Also this week, the deadline for certain consultations, including on the Conservation Authorities Act and Planning Act, were extended from November 23rd to December 9th. As such, TRCA and its municipal partners will continue to advocate for amendments during this extended consultation period.
Bill 23 is unprecedented in terms of the scope and magnitude and is a departure from well-established and supported processes developed over the last 40 plus years under several Acts and regulations. To this point, conservation authorities and their municipal partners are unclear of how some elements of the Bill will be actioned.
We are also examining and providing detailed input on ERO postings that are running concurrent to this Bill. We have submitted comments on two of these (see links on TRCA Staff Hub Policy Consultations Submissions page) and will be submitting comments on the others shortly. We are also continuing to meet with provincial decision-makers, and work with media outlets to apprise the public of our concerns.
If developments are advanced in areas previously not considered for growth, our value in providing time sensitive advice to mitigate impacts to our watersheds and downstream communities to address flood hazards and other risks is heightened. Recognizing that the government may continue to move forward with their intended changes, we have initiated an intensive series of meetings with municipal partners to understand what would unfold if the government proceeded to remove lands from the Greenbelt, remove the Central Pickering Development Plan, Parkway Belt West Plan, and Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Act, and embark on development in these areas. Many of these areas include environmentally sensitive or flood and erosion prone watercourses so TRCA’s efforts must be focused on identifying and providing advice to address these risks to downstream communities and ecosystems. In addition, in anticipation of passage of Bill 23, our Legal Counsel, Policy Planning, and Development and Engineering Services staff are working with other CAs and municipal partners to prepare guidance on what the legislative changes mean for Environmental Assessment Act and Planning Act reviews and Conservation Authorities Act permit reviews.
TRCA, with the support of our municipal partners, will continue to request the Bill’s proposed legislative amendments be removed. If passed as expected, we will work within the confines of the amended legislation while focusing our efforts on influencing the forthcoming regulations. As always, TRCA with the support of our municipal and agency partners will continue to provide sound growth management and environmental planning capacity and advice to help safeguard our communities and protect the natural environment.
We will continue to keep you apprised as this situation unfolds.
Have a great weekend.
Regards,
John MacKenzie, M.Sc.(PI) MCIP, RPP
Chief Executive Officer