ERIN – Town councillor Bridget Ryan garnered unanimous support for three notices of motion dealing with the tricky relationship between the economy and environment.
The notices, discussed at a July 24 council meeting, included written opposition to provincial economic and housing legislation, as well as a town tree protection proposal.
“I feel the economy and the environment don’t have to be separate … I feel that one should support the other,” Ryan told the Advertiser by phone.
“If we are going to have [a] really robust forward-moving green economy here in Erin, and all over Ontario and Canada, the environment is part of that.”
Bill 5
Since its introduction in April, Bill 5, also known as the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, has been the topic of conversation, protests and open letters to government.
Though Ryan says she understands the need for economic growth, amending the Endangered Species Act through Bill 5 concerns her.
“I know this bill’s gone through, and there’s a review period, which is really important, but we can’t take one aspect of the environment singled out … everything’s interconnected,” Ryan said, adding oversight is needed for the Erin’s natural heritage and water resources.
With the Endangered Species Act amended, environmental protections are reduced, she said, and projects within “special economic zones” are exempted from environmental protections right down to the municipal level.
Ryan wants council to ask the province to remove elements of Bill 5 that reduce protection for the environment, at-risk species, and from what she said are “bad faith actors in special economic zones.”
She also wants the province to province to clarify details around special economic zones.
Bill 17
Bill 17 is designed to accelerate infrastructure and housing development by removing barriers and streamlining processes.
The bill was introduced May 12 of this year and was passed into law June 5.
Ryan said Bill 17 removes green development standards.
“Wellington county is working on a tri-county approach for joint green development standards,” she said.
Erin has also committed to a multi-year corporate strategic plan that includes “environmental stewardship” as one of the five priorities.
“Green development standards are integral to ensure smart growth, affording predictability for local utilities, and ensuring long-term affordability by ensuring homes are built with higher efficiency of water usage, preserving our water supply, and with the ability to install heat pump systems for better efficiencies for both heating and cooling,” Ryan told council last week.
Councillor John Brennan said local municipalities have to live with the consequences of decisions made from above.
“The people at Queen’s Park are removed from that,” he said of provincial parliament.
Tree protection, preservation
Ryan’s third motion seeks protection for Erin’s mature trees.
“Elder and large trees provide essential ecosystem services, including air purification and carbon capture,” the motion reads.
All three of the above motions were carried unanimously by council.
