The Supreme Court of Canada ruled portions of the federal Impact Assessment Act — the Liberal government’s rigid environmental assessment scheme — to be unconstitutional.
The decision was celebrated by the PC government as potentially opening the door for its controversial Highway 413, which is currently designated under the Act. When the PC government learned it was mistaken, it is now taking further legal steps to approve the mega-highway that would cause serious environmental harm in Southern Ontario.
Last week, the PCs announced the reversal of forced municipal boundary expansions in Ontario, including in Peel which willingly expanded its boundary by 11,000 acres in 2022 following pressures from the provincial government.
Documents that have since become public reveal developers were favoured by the PCs in the urban expansion decisions which ignored local planning goals that tried to limit future growth to already developed areas. Despite this revelation, it remains unclear whether Peel councillors will reverse their previous decision.
The OPP, in conjunction with five municipal police forces, including Peel Regional Police, announced charges from a proactive online child sexual exploitation investigation which led to the arrest of ten individuals, including a high school teacher who has been with the York Region District School Board for the last 22 years.
Peel’s emergency housing system is falling further behind demand for shelter space, with an unprecedented number of houseless individuals and low-income families being pushed to the brink by runaway cost of living expenses.
A spike in asylum claimants has added to the dangerous dynamic as the Region can no longer meet its policy to never turn anyone away. Temporary solutions to keep people safe as winter nears will cost millions of dollars, while permanent emergency housing in one of Canada’s largest regions is nowhere close to where it needs to be.
Brampton councillors are set to approve the Official Plan that will guide local growth for the next three decades as the city attempts to break its addiction to sprawl.
In Mississauga, a number of departments will share strategies with councillors for new infrastructure and services to meet the coming population boom.
Thousands of documents received by Environmental Defence through an FOI request reveal PC government staff were working directly with developers to expand municipal urban boundaries, using a series of backroom deals similar to those in the Greenbelt scandal.
The new information reveals a pattern of behaviour by the PCs to give sprawl developers exactly what they want, and opens the door for cities and regions to retake control over their own planning, after alarming interference by Doug Ford’s government and land speculators with ties to its leader.
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As staff move away from the idea of implementing temporary modular housing to address the Region’s housing and homeless crisis, Peel is instead considering higher quality, non-cabin style units, along with new proposals for affordable housing and shelter expansion ahead of the winter months, including more rental assistance programs.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a historic announcement in Brampton, pledging $114 million from the Housing Accelerator Fund to build more homes.
It will allow the City to bring more than 3,000 additional housing units online over the next three years, and is a game-changer to meet its target of 113,000 new homes under the Ontario government’s housing plan. However, only five percent of the funding was initially allocated to the “affordable housing” category in the City’s application, raising questions about the impact on Brampton’s dire housing affordability predicament.
After workers walked off the job one week ago, halting shipping along the St. Lawrence Seaway, including Niagara's Welland Canal, a tentative agreement has been reached between the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation and Unifor, the union representing 360 workers responsible for managing one of Ontario’s most crucial economic corridors.
Despite the Ontario government’s promise not to open any new natural gas plants, it is expanding capacity at existing facilities.
While the federal government drafts Clean Energy Regulations to achieve a net zero electricity grid by 2035, loopholes allow provinces to keep polluting the air in the name of energy production.
Environmental Defence, represented by Ecojustice, has filed a court case against the Ontario government for failing to respond to a freedom of information request submitted last November that sought documents related to the Greenbelt Plan which removed 15 parcels of land from the protected greenspace.
Despite Doug Ford’s recent acknowledgements of irresponsible behaviour and apologies to the public, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has yet to comply with the FOI request.
On Monday, St. Catharines will consider offering tax relief to older, low income homeowners who may be struggling after the unprecedented 10.5 percent tax increase approved by councillors for 2023.
The City is also considering the creation of a social procurement program to increase diversity among its vendors.
It is estimated that 78 percent of the St. Lawrence Seaway’s Niagara region economic activity passes through the Welland Canal.
The mayors of four municipalities along the critical waterway are imploring federal officials to bring an end to the strike that has shut down the Welland Canal since Sunday.
A Community Satisfaction Survey has revealed a large segment of Bramptonians feel quality of life has worsened in recent years.
Mayor Patrick Brown told City staff the survey was “unnecessary” and called it “friendly fire,” claiming the City has been working on issues raised in the results. His own failure to fund needed infrastructure and amenities was one of the issues taxpayers highlighted.
Jane went through hell at E.C. Drury School for the Deaf. But she is not alone.
Ontario has paid out $23 million in taxpayer money to children harmed at schools under the mandate of the Provincial and Demonstration School Branch (PDSB). Yet, no systemic review of allegations or problems plaguing its broken culture has been conducted by the Ministry of Education. Minister Stephen Lecce has refused to do so.
One family is taking the Board and government to court, hoping to finally end the abuse.
Brampton’s withering Centennial Mall will be redeveloped into a mixed-use neighbourhood, to help accommodate the city’s rapid growth. The project will create 2,724 residential units and will include some space for services and retail activity.
But locals are raising concerns about the loss of the mall and the lack of infrastructure to support thousands of new neighbours.
The Region of Peel has a series of reports coming forward this week all with proposals to address the housing crisis that has caused the number of houseless residents to skyrocket.
Bill 23 and the lack of public health funding also continue to create significant problems for Peel; while Brampton considers a pilot program to help the hiring of those with disabilities.
During last week's public meeting, Regional councillors heard from public health staff worried about their jobs and the services provided to residents.
Delegations led to the admission of "structural" issues within the organization amid the departure of hundreds of staff, as employees call on council and senior leadership to advocate for more transparency from Queen’s Park while the provincial transition board works to dissolve the Region of Peel by 2025.
Still reeling from crippling tax hikes in municipalities such as St. Catharines, where homeowners are furious after an unprecedented 10.5% increase in the property bill for 2023 (pushed through after the public budget process), residents across the region are now being asked to cover a massive budget increase for Niagara’s police force.
A recent Supreme Court decision ruled that parts of the Impact Assessment Act are unconstitutional. But while the decision is being celebrated across provinces whose conservative governments rail against interference by Ottawa, the federal government has vowed to review the process, and, while doing so, certain projects, including Doug Ford’s Highway 413, remain under its microscope.
The City of Mississauga has announced it will be moving forward with permitting four-plexes city-wide after Mayor Bonnie Crombie issued a Mayoral Directive on Friday to reverse a decision made last week by council when members held off on allowing the multiplex housing model, citing the need for public consultations.
Facing an affordable housing crisis, Crombie has instead decided to take the matter into her own hands, avoiding any chance of NIMBYism influencing weak councillors.
Housing Minister Paul Calandra introduced legislation Monday designed to protect the Greenbelt from future incursions. But questions remain regarding how strong the new Bill really is, as the PCs continue to chip away at protected greenspaces through a variety of other legislation and projects.
After years of disagreement and finger-pointing between the school board, City and province, money has finally started to flow to update the sports facilities at Anaka Park to provide for students in one of Mississauga's most underserved neighbourhoods.
While the City of Mississauga has been ready and waiting with its share of funding, the Province only recently released its share for the long-awaited project, which will see the construction of a new recreational facility for students at Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Secondary School in Malton.
Staff in the City of Niagara Falls are recommending councillors turn down a rezoning application for a large housing development that could bring nearly 1,400 housing units to the municipality.
Following stipulations in the PC government’s controversial Bill 23, Port Colborne is reviewing a series of heritage designation requests to determine what should, or should not be preserved in the years to come.
Four proposals open on the Environmental Registry of Ontario call for the removal of licensing requirements for a range of activities that could severely impact the management of increased storm activity across the province and the protection of our most sensitive water systems.
Legislation put forward by the PC government to expedite commercial activity would make it easier to ignore critical hydrological conditions.
The City of Mississauga has been a leader in Peel and across much of the GTA for some of its climate actions, but needs to catch up in other areas.
The City is looking at Toronto’s building standards to help reach its emissions reductions targets and adapt infrastructure to the increasing unpredictability of climate change.
On Wednesday, councillors debated a motion to allow residents to convert their properties into fourplexes “as of right”, to increase density while offering affordable housing options.
The motion was defeated, leaving advocates dismayed and wondering how Mississauga plans to address its dire affordability crisis. Councillor Dipika Damerla has since been heavily criticized for pandering to NIMBY interests.
Peel Regional Police celebrated the groundbreaking for a new operations facility last week that will house 700 staff.
While some taxpayers want to see resources allocated toward traditional policing, others want their taxes spent on upstream solutions that prevent social decline and crime, before they happen.
Public gatherings in support of Israel and Palestinians have taken place in cities across the globe since the horrifying attacks on innocent civilians by Hamas last Saturday.
In Mississauga, an impromptu celebration at a plaza parking lot shortly after news of the violence was first reported raises questions about our commitment to condemn behaviour that is anti-Canadian, while simultaneously supporting citizens seeking justice through peaceful means.
Assurances by Premier Doug Ford of no wrongdoing in the process to remove 15 parcels of land from the Greenbelt, creating $8.3 billion of value for preferred developers, have failed to stop the RCMP from investigating the controversial land swaps.
While the national police force begins its formal probe, the province’s Auditor General has launched its own investigation to examine the Ontario government’s use of MZOs to benefit private companies.
A Community Satisfaction Survey completed for the City of Brampton has found nearly half of residents reported feeling unhappier now than three years ago, with public safety and housing affordability listed as top concerns.
In Mississauga, council members are set to vote on a motion that will make it easier for residents to convert their properties to denser forms of housing. A long list of delegates are set to speak on the matter.
For the first time since 2020, MiWay is experiencing user demand above levels recorded prior to the pandemic. As the City focuses on meeting service levels and reaching its goal to electrify the fleet, the increased demand has prompted the need for more funding. A recent report to council members calls for a $6.7 million increase in the 2024 budget.
While the Greenbelt scandal has been exposed and the developer-driven plan is set to be scrapped, the PC government has shifted gears to push the Highway 413 and Bradford Bypass projects, with more Greenbelt land and valuable agricultural properties at risk.
Last week, Caledon council voted against a staff recommendation not to fight back against a development permit for 75 rural mansions in Belfountain. The project would double the size and population of the historic hamlet, and cause potential impacts on the wells of residents who have lived in the area for generations.
Should the development impact water quality and quantity, the Town could be on the hook for close to $20 million.
Where is Brampton City Council and Mayor Patrick Brown? For the second-straight week, there has been no meeting of council and the public has been left in the dark as to why these regular meetings have been removed from the calendar.
Citizens are expressing concern and frustration with elected officials as key pieces of city business sit stagnant at city hall.
While Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie seeks a political upgrade, her city has been left in a precarious position as it wrestles with its emerging independence, significant growth, some of the biggest projects in its history and the pressures of budget season around the corner.
In her absence, Council will be maintaining the mayor’s role on a rotational basis—a temporary solution that cannot continue indefinitely, City staff have cautioned. Without a stable leader, it remains unclear how the City of Mississauga will navigate this period of uncertainty.
The William Osler Healthcare System recently urged Bramptonians to find help elsewhere as its Urgent Care Centre at Peel Memorial was operating well beyond capacity.
It’s the latest in a long line of issues that have plagued Brampton’s overburdened healthcare system. Yet there appears to be no urgency from local elected leaders, Osler officials, or the PC government to expedite Peel Memorial’s expansion—a decision that could save lives.
A new three-year mental health strategy from the Peel District School Board, for the first time, will offer resources designed to assist the wide demographic of students it serves.
As City business piles up, Brampton council goes without a meeting for the second-straight week.
A Mississauga councillor is looking to make it easier for property owners to convert their land into desperately needed “missing middle” housing.
As Brampton Council continues to finalize its plans to launch its Residential Rental Licensing Pilot Program in Wards 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 at the start of 2024, residents raised concerns at a Committee of Council meeting about the exemption of properties renting out more than five units.
The program aims to protect tenants from health, safety and human rights violations. Peel ACORN told council members that a large number of tenants in Brampton live in units owned by corporate landlords that often financially exploit renters.
A recent report to Regional council revealed Peel is seeing a dramatic rise in the number of asylum claimants requiring emergency housing, pushing its shelters to operate at a 247 percent occupancy rate.
In an even more alarming revelation, asylum claimants account for approximately 57 percent of these shelter occupants — a number the federal government anticipates will only increase. With no additional funding available at the Regional level and insufficient support from upper levels of government, it's unclear how the Region of Peel will respond to the rising demand with winter fast approaching.
On September 30, the third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was recognized across the part of Turtle Island now known as Canada. As the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples passes, the federal government has completed 13 of 94 calls to action established by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and implemented in 2015.
While progress has been slow at the federal level, in Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government has introduced multiple pieces of legislation that completely negate free, prior and informed consent—a cornerstone of the truth and reconciliation commitments to undo centuries of injustice done to Indigenous peoples.
As Peel Public Health tries to reestablish programming after the pandemic, the department is struggling to keep up with demand. Operating at full capacity will be an even steeper challenge once the Region of Peel dissolves in 2025.
Service disruptions and the division of critical health services between Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon are top of mind as officials scramble to ensure the well being of Peel residents is not jeopardized.
Nation-wide protests driven by intolerance toward educating children about issues of gender and sexual identity, were met by counter-protesters gathered in defence of trans rights and 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion in schools.
In Peel, roughly 2,000 people congregated outside Mississauga City Hall one week ago, and grassroots organization QTBIPOC Sauga, in collaboration with Caledon Pride, held a counter-protest defending education that reduces the ongoing marginalization of 2SLGBTQ+ communities across Canada.
The Brampton Food Hub held its grand opening this past Thursday. It finally provides the city a long-needed centralized emergency food network through a collaboration of six existing non-profit and faith-based agencies.
The launch follows years of work by local organizations and their members who have been championing efforts to address the food insecurity crisis in a hyper-growth city where many newcomers and other residents struggle to secure their most basic needs.
Brampton taxpayers still don’t have any answers about a half-dozen investigations cancelled last year by Patrick Brown, after initial work revealed alarming conduct by the controversial mayor.
Froese Forensic’s investigation into the failed BramptonU project flagged a pattern of disturbing behaviour inside City Hall, under Brown’s leadership, but the mayor cancelled the remaining work, including separate investigations into contracts and hirings, before the completed findings could be revealed to the public. The provincial Ombudsman issued a second letter to Council after Brown and his council allies pulled the plug on the probes, urging their completion, but Ontario’s municipal watchdog will not commit to an independent investigation.
Following protests across the province relating to issues of sexuality being taught in schools, the PDSB is implementing a new plan to support students and staff who identify as LGBTQIA+ or Two Spirit.
The Region of Peel will hear from staff about ongoing financial audits launched by Premier Doug Ford and the PC government into its books and learn how public health is preparing for the upcoming flu season.
City Council declared gender-based violence and intimate partner violence an epidemic in Mississauga, similar to motions brought forward to Brampton and Regional council earlier this year. It is a move advocacy groups are calling a “first step” toward addressing the root cause of these extreme acts of violence common across the region, but without sufficient recognition and funding from the Province, these violent crimes will continue.
Caledon council voted to extend its interim control bylaw on the aggregate industry for an additional year after an update to the Town’s outdated and insufficient policies was not completed in the one year timeframe. Despite the mayor and some councillors having concerns over the potential for aggregate companies to appeal their delayed applications, including one for a large blasting quarry in the middle of the protected Greenbelt, staff claimed the Town would be in a good position to argue an appeal.
They did not explain why. Under the PCs, 97 percent of decisions at the Ontario Land Tribunal have gone in favour of private companies recently.
As The Mississauga Food Bank announces its rebranding to Food Banks Mississauga, a name the organization’s CEO says better reflects the work it does, the community service has also revealed in its latest report that five percent of the city’s population is now turning to the food bank to meet one of its most basic needs. The shocking statistic comes as the organization predicts a further surge in food insecurity in the community with no government intervention in sight.
A report coming to St. Catharines council on Monday includes a recommendation for the approval of incentive applications for three development proposals as part of the City’s 2020 Community Improvement Plan. Monday’s report raises questions and stirs previous concerns about the effectiveness of these incentive programs that have historically been criticized in Niagara Region for giving wealthy developers even greater profits at the expense of taxpayers who see few benefits.
