Fight for Farmland Protest Rally at Wilmot Township Council, 5:30pm on Monday 26 August 2024

What: “We are NOT a Willing Host” Protest Rally
When: 5:30pm on Monday 26 August 2024
Where: Outside, Wilmot Council Meeting at Castle Kilbride
Location: 60 Snyder’s Road West, Baden Map
Contact: wilmotlandowners@gmail.com

The Fight For Farmland (B&W letters with a line drawing of a fist holding a stem of wheat, on a salmon-pink background)Fight For Farmland Group is asking for support at two particularly important upcoming rallies next week. It is important that the public turn out to show that Wilmot Township “Is NOT a Willing Host”. This is in response to Doug Ford’s comment that they would not force a mega industrial site on an unwilling host. If it’s appropriate, we encourage you to forward this invitation on to your individual group’s contact list.

Wilmot Township Community members will gather for the “We are NOT a Willing Host” protest to stand united against the Wilmot Land Assembly. This rally aims to send a clear and powerful message to the Township that the community is firmly against being designated as a willing host for the proposed development.

  • This is expected to be our biggest rally yet. We urge everyone in the community to join us and show our collective strength.
  • The event will feature a live performance by local artist Punkeydoodles Steve, who will perform his hit song “770 Acres.”
  • Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from local farmers and guest speakers who will share their perspectives on the proposed development.
  • We are gratefully accepting donated food items for the Wilmot Family Resource Centre. Your contributions will support local families in need.
  • Please bring your signs and banners to show that we are NOT willing hosts!

The second rally is being held outside at the Regional District Headquarters, in advance of the Regional Council Meeting at 6:00pm on Wednesday 28 August 2024.

For more information and updates visit http://fightforfarmland.com/
We Are Not A Willing Host!
Monday August 26
Township of Wilmot Council Meeting. Join us at Castle Kilbride - 60 Snyders Road West in Baden at 5:30pm

"Let's make this our biggest rally yet! Together we can send a powerful message to our Township tha twer are UNWILLING HOSTS! Join us and stand strong for our community! Don't forget your signs!

for parking & more info visit FIGHTFORFARMLAND.COM

Punkeydoodles Steve will be playing his hit 770 acres live! Hear from area farmers & guest speakers!

Food item donations for the Wilmot Family Resource Centre will be gratefully accepted.

(B&W photo of people marching with signs "Save Our Farm Save Our Food", wearing T-shirts with slogans "Not Willing Host")

Kitchener Centre By-Election Housing Forum, 6:30pm, Thursday 23 November 2023 at St. John The Evangelist Church

What: Kitchener Centre By-Election Housing Forum
When: Doors open 6:30pm, Forum 7:00pm, Thursday 23 November 2023
Where: St. John The Evangelist Church
Location: 23 Water Street North, Kitchener, Ontario Map
Contact: Text message 519-635-8951

Come ask the candidates how they will tackle housing issues.

KItchener Centre By-Election Housing Forum | Come ask the candidates how they will tackle housing issues | Thursday, November 23rd (2023) | Doors open: 6:30pm Forum 7:00pm | St John The Evangelist | 23 Water St N Kitchener | For questions text 519-635-8951 (Black letters on white, clip art of bullhorn and ballot wiht pen, B&W logos of supporting organizations at the top, including The Council of Canadians Kitchener-Waterloo, Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association, GroundUpWR, ACORN Tenant Union Waterloo Region, Social Development Centre Waterloo Region, Olde Berlin Town Neighbourhood, Beyond Housing, Basic Income Waterloo Region, WRYIMBY, GreenWR, Grand River Unitarian Church, Unsheltered Campaign, Hold The Line WR)

Rally Against the Big Sprawl: 2pm Sat 29 July 2023 in Waterloo Park

When: 2:00pm to 4:00pm on Saturday 29 July 2023
Where: Waterloo Park
Rally Location: University Ave between Westmount and Seagram Map 1
Picnic Location: The Bandshell Map 2
Website: https://stopsprawlwr.wixsite.com/rally
Email: nvecoboosters@gmail.com

Rally Against the Big Sprawl | Saturday, July 29, 2023 | Rally 2-3pm * Picnic 3-4pm | University Ave. W., between Westmount and Seagram | Waterloo Park, Waterloo | www.50by30WR.ca * nvecoboosters@gmail.com

In the midst of our affordable housing and environmental crises, the Provincial government is removing land protection legislation to enable the construction of inefficient and expensive detached houses on precious farmland, the Greenbelt, and other natural spaces. This housing is not affordable for most people nor is it usually accessible by public transit.

Furthering the devastation of Bill 23, the Ontario government has already overridden the successful and strongly supported sustainable Waterloo Region and Hamilton Official Plans, forcing thousands of acres of additional unnecessary farmland loss. Now the province has proposed allowing every farm and rural property across Ontario three severances with up to 12 building lots and homes on each and every farm — forever devastating our agricultural system, impairing our ability to produce food, and threatening our groundwater aquifers.

The province is proposing full-throttle sprawl that undermines sustainable, transit-supportive, affordable communities. They want to cut policies requiring efficient growth and eliminate policies protecting environmentally sensitive areas and wetlands. The government even wants to delete the Provincial definition of “affordable housing.”

The facts are that municipalities already have enough land allocated to build over 2 million homes.

Focusing only on housing supply without considering affordability or sustainability will not fix the Page 1housing crisis. There is no need to force unsustainable boundary expansions, destroy irreplaceable farmland, remove environmental lands from the Greenbelt, and threaten our water supplies.

Concerned groups and representatives from community, environmental, affordable housing, climate change, and agricultural organizations are planning a community rally this coming Saturday, July 29th starting at 2pm along University Avenue West in Waterloo, followed by speakers and a picnic at the nearby Bandshell in Waterloo Park. Confirmed speakers include Waterloo NDP MPP Catherine Fife, Green Party Candidate Aislinn Clancy, NDP Candidate Debbie Chapman, National Farmers Union President Jenn Pfenning, and representatives from Hold The Line and ACORN.

Citizens are urged to join the rally on Saturday at 2pm with creative signs at the corner of University and Seagram Drive in Waterloo and submit comments to the Environmental Registry of Ontario prior to the August 4th deadline to help ensure numerous improvements to the proposed PPS — most importantly the full and complete removal of any sort of rural severances — upholding the No Rural Severances Policy that the Region of Waterloo and other municipalities have had in place for decades.

In summary, our members and groups want to ensure a future with sustainable, affordable, transit-supported development in complete communities on already approved lands within our current urban boundaries across Ontario.

More Info

Learn more about the event at Stop the Sprawl Rally or www.50by30wr.ca

About:

Grand River Environmental Network (https://www.gren.ca) is a grassroots community group that is a proactive voice for the environment in the Grand River Watershed.

The Nith Valley EcoBoosters (www.nvecoboosters.com) is a not for profit, non-partisan volunteer group committed to achieving and supporting a long-term healthy environment in Wilmot and Wellesley Townships through education, action and collaboration.

Keep the Greenbelt Promise (www.greenbeltpromise.ca) is a network of grassroots organizations working together to stop development in the Greenbelt, on farmland, and in natural areas.

Media Inquiries:

Democracy In Action

Democracy In Action | 5 Zoom Town Halls for each riding and its voters | No Party Platforms | Let's elect those who will represent us not toe the party lineWE the citizens have an obligation … and A RIGHT to be informed of what OUR representative ‘politicians’ are up to, and are first CONSULTING with the VOTER not toeing the party line

. . in a healthy democracy (where having elections is only the means not the end) voter participation means taking back ownership of the decisions being made

Issues will always be present . . . elections are about sending the right people to parliament

At this event, politics is not a bad word we encourage you to engage and talk and ask questions in order to get to know your candidates

You may be surprised that the party you normally vote for might not have a candidate you would want as an MP.

The right person will properly represent your issues .. because they will listen, respect the community concerns, and try to find ways to get things done

We need MP’s who will stand up for their community’s best interests

Join in the future for yourself and your family!

that is why our virtual town halls may not follow the generic or traditional format

stay tuned…

definition of democracy is:
government by the people, rule of the majority … a government in which
the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly
or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving
periodically held free elections

#Bill66 — @BobJonkmanGPC’s submission to the Environmental Registry of Ontario

Stop Bill 66 | They say it's red tape. | To us, it's precious farmland. Bill 66 was introduced in the Ontario legislature just before the Christmas holidays. The short timeframe for discussion and consultation makes me think the legislators are trying to pass it before people have a chance to understand its effects. It is an omnibus bill, affecting dozens of different pieces of Ontario laws and regulations, many items of which are hidden behind indirect references, and all of which are to be voted on en masse. Omnibus bills tend to carry deleterious clauses which would never stand on their own, but which get passed only because of some other items in the same bill that are perceived to be more beneficial than the rest of the bill is bad.

A summary of Bill 66 is at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario website, called Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, 2018

Commentary on Bill 66 is plentiful:

Bob Jonkman at the podium in the Woolwich Township Council Chamber, with Councillors, the Mayor, and staff in the background
Bob Jonkman Bill 66 delegation to Woolwich Township Council Committee of The Whole, Tuesday January 8th, 2019
Many groups joined together to provide information on Bill 66, and to make a concerted effort to bring our dissatisfaction to local municipal and provincial leaders. I made two delegations to Woolwich Township Council urging them to pass a resolution to reject Bill 66 and to pledge that if passed, not to use this legislation to bypass the environmental regulations currently in place. Woolwich did pass a resolution, but stopped short of adding the pledge not to use it.

The consultation period at the Ontario Environmental Registry ended yesterday, and below are the comments I made.

Bill 66 is a direct affront to the citizens of Ontario. Doug Ford made a pledge in May 2018 that the Green Belt areas would be not be subject to development. Now that Doug Ford is Premier of the Government of Ontario, I expect that pledge to be honoured.


Bill 66 affects existing laws and regulations at many Ministries, not just the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. It detrimentally affects the protections for workers in many separate regulations, detrimentally affects the protections for children in childcare, detrimentally affects seniors and patients in long-term care, and detrimentally affects consumers protections from wireless carriers. This is not an exhaustive list.


Bill 66 detrimentally affects environmental regulations more than any other. Under Schedule 10 municipalities no longer have to follow the regulations under the Clean Water Act, Great Lakes Protection Act, Greenbelt Act, Lake Simcoe Protection Act, and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, among many others.


Ontario and its municipalities have experienced the greatest prosperity in the last ten years, without needing to circumvent the environmental protections put in place by previous Conservative and Liberal governments. Removing these protections now will pit one municipality against another — if one municipality allows development in a protected area, it creates pollution for all the downwind and downstream neighbours, both in that municipality as well as surrouding municipalities. There will be increased infrastructure costs for those municipalities that receive the extra traffic from the development, but none of the anticipated revenue. Bill 66 is not something municipalities have asked for for, nor is it something municipalities need.


Speculators may have purchased land in the currently protected areas. Just having Bill 66 on the table has affected land values. Currently permitted uses for protected areas will become unaffordable, and the pressure on local governments to bypass environmental protections will be great. I’m happy to see many municipalities have passed resolutions rejecting Bill 66.


The citizens of Ontario are clear: Bill 66, with all its recissions of existing laws, must not be passed. I hope the elected representatives in the Legislature will fulfill their mandate and represent their constituents’ demands to reject Bill 66.

Have your say in the Region of Waterloo’s Climate Adaptation survey


Feeling the heat? Local climate projections suggest that events like the recent June heat wave, the May wind storm, the April ice storm and the February flooding event could become more common, and in some cases more intense, than the weather we grew up with. 

 

The Region of Waterloo is conducting research to better understand the potential impacts and risks of climate change to Waterloo Region, as part of the development of a Community Climate Adaptation Plan. They are seeking input from residents in the Region, and Divest Waterloo is supporting this effort by reaching out to you.

 

Please let them know how you feel about climate change and extreme weather events by filling out the Region’s Climate Adaptation Survey.

 

The Region would like to hear from as many community members as possible. Please share this survey invitation with your friends and other contacts.

 

Thank you!

                  

 

 

Thank you for your ongoing support for Divest Waterloo and for your part in our collective action to raise awareness and engage our community on issues related to climate change, our pursuit of a low carbon economy, and our movement towards a just and sustainable future. We hope to see you soon!


Divest Waterloo

GRT Affordable Transit Study

From our friends at the Social Planning Council of Cambridge and North Dumfries:

From: Social Planning Council of Cambridge and North Dumfries <info@spccnd.org>
Date: Friday, 1 September 2017
Subject: Affordable Transit Study – Help Get the Word Out

Hello everyone,

The Region of Waterloo is looking for volunteers to participate in a research study.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effects of different reduced fare transit passes. People who are selected for the study could get:


  • Off-Peak Pass: $23 per month
  • 20-Ride Pass: $25 per month
  • Combo Pass: $48 per month
  • Unlimited Pass: $65 per month

Please help spread the word and advertise in your offices / through your communications.

Community members can sign up to attend study information and registration sessions through Eventbrite links that can be found on the GRT website.

Please see the GRT webpage for more information/details of the study:

Transit Affordability Study – Grand River Transit

Our mailing address is:
Social Planning Council of Cambridge and North Dumfries
55 Dickson St,
Cambridge, ON N1R 1T8
Canada

Day of Action For Electoral Reform — 11 February 2017 at 1:00pm

This is our spiffy poster for Saturday’s National Day of Action for ELECTORAL REFORM event.

National Day of Action for Electoral Reform

If you can print a few copies to put up in your neighborhood that would be enormously helpful.

You can Download the full size colour PDF here (4 MBytes)

or Download the full size Black and White PDF here (3 MBytes)

or Download the full size Duotone PDF here (1 MByte)

or choose the jpg image size you want from Flickr

This poster is released with a Creative Commons 0 Public Domain Dedication which allows anyone to legally print and use it for any purpose.

If you’re in or near Waterloo Region, Ontario, please print and distribute as many posters as possible on public property where allowed Be sure to get permission before posting on private property, in retail stores, on community bulletin boards etc.

Help Make This Event A Success!

COME

Plan to attend if you can, and bring as many friends, family members, neighbors, co-workers, your kid’s teachers … anyone you know!  This isn’t about politicians , it is really about us… we deserve to have our votes count.  It’s only fair!

SHARE
Share the event on your social media.

FACEBOOK

Sign up on the Facebook Event Page
https://www.facebook.com/events/1371976016188409/

Share the event (click on the “share” button at the top of the right sidebar and choose where to share)

TWITTER

Retweet @FairVoteWaterloo’s event announcement

and other tweets about the event between now and Saturday.

For making your own tweets, the event hashtags include:
#PerformOnReform
#ChaqueVoteCompte
#SeeYouSaturday
#ERRE
#CDNpoli

Bring Your Own Sign

Give your inner child free reign to create your very own sign!

If you’ve got kids, get them involved ~ make it a family art project.  Use Bristol Board or just ordinary cardboard.

Sign Tips

Keep it Simple : One Idea per sign (although you can have another on the back of a double sided sign)

Black and white, primary colours

Big easy to read letters

Not everyone feels they are artistic, so if you’re feeling inspired, if you make extras, no doubt there will be folks happy to carry them.

If you are looking for inspiration, you might get some ideas from the graphics in my PR For Canada or ERRE Flickr Albums.

Sign the Petition

Whether or not you can make it out on Saturday, you can sign the record breaking (85552 signatures as of writing) House of Commons e-616 ePetition here.  You don’t need to set up an account to sign, but you will need to confirm in email before it counts.  As I understand it this one was started by a Waterloo gent.


There is still time for the Canadian Government to adopt electoral reform in time for 2019.
That’s would still be the BEST possible outcome for Canadians.
And it just *might* happen if we make enough noise now.
(If not, we can get to work on making sure the next government does.)

Regards,
Laurel

Waterloo Region Green Parties @WR_Greens are hosting #PR4PR — A Community Dialogue about Proportional Representation and Electoral Reform

Canada’s Voting System is Changing -- Join us for a community dialogue about proportional representation and electoral reform -- Saturdary September 17th 3:00pm – 4:30pm -- In front of Kitchener City Hall -- wrgreens.ca/PR4PR -- Dialogue results will be sent directly to the Special Committee on Electoral Reform -- Hosted by the Waterloo Region Greens

Contact Julia Gogoleva, the PR4PR organizer at julia.gogoleva@gmail.com.

Download the poster: PDF format (867 kBytes) or Image File (.png, 221 kBytes, 1275 × 1651)

Canada’s Voting System is Changing

Join us for a community dialogue about proportional representation and electoral reform

Saturday September 17th 3:00pm – 4:30pm

In front of Kitchener City Hall

wrgreens.ca/PR4PR

Dialogue results will be sent directly to the Special Committee on Electoral Reform

Hosted by the Waterloo Region Greens

Proposals to address the lack of affordable housing in Waterloo

I have been drawing attention to the lack of affordable housing in the city of Waterloo, and how the updating of the zoning bylaw now underway could do much to bring more lower-end-of-market rental units onstream.

I have three main proposals:

  1. Reduce the amount of parking required when a condo or apartment building is built. And don’t always require a parking space for accessory apts created in a home. Parking makes construction much more expensive. And in a home, the lack of room for a side-by-side parking spot now means an apartment cannot be allowed – this needs to change.
  2. Remove many other obstacles that now exist to creating apartments in houses and detached garages.
  3. Bring in Inclusionary Zoning in all new developments. This means that every building, subdivision, etc, would have to include a given percentage of affordable units. This leads to a mix of income levels in the same neighbourhood, as opposed to ghettoization.

These three measures could open up the rental housing market substantially.

Here are links to some my recent articles on affordable housing in Waterloo.

Letter to Waterloo Chronicle: City officials have to hear about it on new zoning | Waterloo Chronicle (22 July 2016)

Mention in Waterloo Chronicle (interview with editor Bob Vrbanac): Concerns over new zoning bylaw | Waterloo Chronicle (14 July 2016)

Waterloo Chronicle: Editorial: Take the time to listen (13 July 2016)

Submission to the city’s public input portal on zoning review: Letter to the City of Waterloo on Zoning and Affordable Housing | KWPeace (16 July 2016)

If you think these are good ideas, please write to the papers and your city councillor. There will also be a second round of public input in fall 2016.