The horse was already out of barn so to speak but Belleville city council has unanimously approved a resolution from Ontario Conservation Authorities asking the province to make changes to Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act.
The problem is that the government had passed the legislation at Queen’s Park earlier Monday.
Councillor Chris Malette said Conservation Authorities’ role in protecting environmentally sensitive land had been gutted adding almost all of the provincially significant wetlands in Quinte Conservation’s watershed could now be open to development.
“Fully under this Bill 23, protections for 99 of the 100 of those wetlands are gone. It’s a great day if you’re a developer but it’s a really lousy day if you’re a red winged blackbird I can tell you that.”
On another issue council supported a resolution asking the province to immediately ease the labour shortage in the child care sector by increasing wages beyond $18 an hour and by providing benefits.
The resolution also calls for a provincial accelerated Early Childhood Education Program.
