Caledon councillor calls for controversial MZO to be revoked, discuss blasting quarry proposal behind closed doors; Catholic trustees debate flying Pride flag
Peel Democracy Watch is The Pointer’s weekly feature aimed at increasing the public’s awareness and political involvement in the Region of Peel by highlighting key agenda items, motions and decisions.
Council
Date: May 23- 7 p.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch live
High profile issues pulled into closed session
Caledon councillors will be discussing a pair of significant issues during a closed session beginning at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
The first item on the agenda is an update from staff on the CBM Aggregates blasting quarry applications and the ongoing request for an official plan and rezoning amendment to allow the project to move forward. The 800-acre proposal would have significant impacts on the Caledon landscape and has drawn considerable attention from local residents.
Councillors will also be using the closed session meeting to discuss the Hazel McCallion Act introduced by the Government of Ontario last week which will dissolve the Region of Peel by 2025.
According to the agenda, councillors will be discussing a “position, plan, procedure, criteria or instruction” to be used when negotiating with the Province or the Transition Board in the months ahead.
Past reporting:
Councillor calls on Province to revoke controversial MZO
Councillor Doug Maskell is looking for the Province to revoke a controversial Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) issued to Rice Commercial Group last year for a large industrial development, parts of which sit in the protected Greenbelt. The MZO was issued by the Province following a private letter sent by former mayor Allan Thompson in support of the development, despite neither the Town of Caledon staff or the rest of council supporting it.
Councillor Maskell’s motion requests “Council disavow and repudiate the action taken, in July 2022, by former Mayor Allan Thompson, relating to the MZO filed on lands known municipally as 12245 Torbram Road by reaffirming its commitment to abide by the Code of Conduct for Members of Council.”
In a separate motion, Councillor Maskell is also looking to file a Freedom of Information request with the Government of Ontario to obtain “documents from July to December 31, 2022 between former Mayor Allan Thompson, Town Staff and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the issuance of (the) MZO.”
Past reporting:
Board Meeting
Date: May 23 - 7:00 p.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch live
Debate over raising of Pride flag
Several students and parents will be delegating before the trustees of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board about allowing DPCDSB schools to raise the Pride Flag on school property.
One recent graduate is requesting the board allow schools to fly the Pride flag for the entirety of Pride Month in June.
“This hate we face is not ok. Not only is it not ok that it is happening, it is abhorrent that our community feels like we do not have the support of the system because the lack of visible and active steps DPCDSB is taking to protect us. When students and staff feel unsafe in our schools it has a significant impact on our ability to learn, teach, and thrive,” Rhaya Clyne, a recent graduate of Loyola Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga, writes.
Their views are not shared by all.
A parent of three other DPCDSB students is requesting the board ignore the community requests.
“By accepting the LGBT flag, we are putting the souls of our children in jeopardy. We are breaking our baptismal vows and the promises we made when our children were baptized to train them in the practice of the Faith, and to bring them up to keep Gods commandments as Christ taught us,” Matthew Wojciechowski writes. “The flag does not lead to Christ, but rather it leads young people away from a life of virtue.”
Past reporting:
General Committee
Date: May 24 – 9:30 a.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch live
City outlines priorities for federal housing accelerator funding
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) recently announced details of the Housing Accelerator Fund, a $4 billion incentive program targeting local municipal governments to encourage housing supply growth and enhance certainty in development approvals. In order to secure funding, the City of Mississauga is required to demonstrate how the funds will achieve additional housing units beyond what the City would have otherwise reached without the funding.
Wednesday’s report lays out the City’s application to the CMHC and includes 10 action plan initiatives proposed over a three-year period (from 2024 to 2026). The funds, if approved, must be put towards either the action plan initiatives, affordable housing, housing-related infrastructure or community-related infrastructure. The report notes staff will provide more specific plans to allocate funds to City projects should the funding be approved, which they say “will encourage transformational change and create positive impacts on housing supply and affordable housing in Mississauga.” The deadline for municipalities to apply is June 14.
Read the full report here.
Equity work resulting in systemic change, City report states
An information report coming to Mississauga’s general committee on Wednesday provides an update on the City’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts which have been largely criticized for failing to create a workforce representative of the community it serves. The latest report showcases the EDI work across the organization that has evolved into a “‘decentralized’ governance and reporting structure,” with the purpose of facilitating systemic change within City hall.
The City’s 2022 Employee Engagement and Demographic Survey, which received an overall engagement score of 67.4 percent with a City response rate of just over 47 percent, found there remains a “significant discrepancy” between BIPOC, white, immigrant and non-immigrant representation in the workforce when compared to the City’s population. It also noted “the City continues to show under-representation of most equity-deserving groups in positions of leadership.” In response to the findings of the survey, the report includes actions taken from across the organization to advance EDI within the City.
Read the full report here.
Past reporting:
Planning and Development Committee
Date: May 29– 6:00 p.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch live
City drafts community benefits for Lakeview as MZO blindsides council
Last week, the City of Mississauga was blindsided by the issuance of a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) approved by the Province that doubled the size of the proposal for Lakeview Village, erasing 20 years of community consultation and study.
It remains unclear how the development proposal will proceed, but on May 29 the City’s planning department will be reviewing a draft Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for the Lakeview area. The CIP is a plan designed to incentivize development in the area, including tax breaks for business owners and development charge referrals.
Read the full report here.
Past reporting:
Air quality questions linger around Clarkson GO station
The City of Mississauga has been studying the potential for development around the Clarkson GO station, which has raised questions about the air quality in the area. The study concluded “although there are periods of poor air quality, this is not unique to the Clarkson MTSA and any potential risks to human health are no different than similar urban environments across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and beyond. The study concluded, air quality would not prohibit residential uses being introduced adjacent to the Clarkson GO station.”
Read the full report here.
Committee of Council
Date: May 10 - 9:30 p.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch live
Increased funding still top priority for Brampton Arts
Compared to funding for the arts in other large cities, Brampton has not been generous with its local artists. The Brampton Arts Organization (BAO) just released its annual report highlighting its progress and achievements over the last year and opportunities for community members.
Increasing the amount of public funds for the organization is highlighted as one of the groups top goals for 2023-2025, as it’s been severely underfunded for years.
Read the full report here.
Past reporting:
Update on Churchville flooding
The City of Brampton is reflecting on the February 2022 flooding in the Churchville neighbourhood which damaged 15 to 20 homes within the Credit River floodplain and triggered the evacuation of 50 others.
The City and the Credit Valley Conservation Authority (CVC) identified three factors that led to the flood: the construction of the neighbourhood in a legacy floodplain; ice breakup and jamming; and the failure of two storm sewers. While CVC says it is impossible to predict ice jamming, the conservation authority can predict when weather conditions are ideal for ice breakup.
The fact that the Churchville neighbourhood is built in a low lying flood plain means the existing homes will always be at higher risk of flooding. This enhances the need for education and emergency preparedness response for both residents and the City of Brampton. The City is currently looking for the best ways to reduce future flooding risks including a structural assessment of existing flood protection infrastructure, identification of future flood mitigation measures and the development of an ice management plan.
Read the full report here.
Past reporting:
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Auditor General finds PC’s Bill 23 could put Ontarians at increased risk of flood disasters
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PCs vote down Bill to protect residents from increased flood risks
Board Meeting
Date: May 24- 6:30 p.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch live
School equity audits continue to find ways for improvement
Part of the long list of recommendations from the Province of Ontario’s review of the Peel District School Board (PDSB) was the completion of audits of all PDSB schools to find ways to improve the implementation of diversity and equity initiatives.
According to a report going to the board of trustees on Wednesday the audits should be completed for all PDSB schools by the end of 2024.
“Preliminary results indicate that most schools have adopted a critical framework which supports the process of challenging racism, oppression and settler colonialism. Infusing Black excellence, joy and success into lesson and unit plans has been a priority,” the report states.
Read the full report here.
Board of Directors
Date: May 26- 9:30 a.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch live
TRCA lists concerns with new provincial legislative changes
After experiencing a reduction in their jurisdiction as a result of Bill 23, the TRCA is submitting extensive comments on the creation of a new Provincial Planning Statement which will replace the existing Provincial Policy Statement and Growth Plan. The TRCA’s comments relate to the protection of source drinking water and protecting residents from natural hazards. The new PPS builds on changes in Bill 23 which will allow for development in wetlands and other areas with greater risk of flooding and other natural hazards. The TRCA is requesting that conservation authorities have an active role in providing consultation on natural hazards.
“Where watershed and subwatershed planning are not used to guide development, redevelopment, or intensification, it could create new hazards, aggravate existing hazards, and degrade natural heritage features important for managing natural hazard risk,” the report reads. “This is especially true for high-growth areas like the GGH where highly altered 3 drainage patterns and degraded natural systems are prominent and, if unmitigated, are more susceptible to impacts.”
Read the full report here.
Past reporting:
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