{"id":36602,"date":"2025-07-24T19:21:42","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T23:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/?p=36602"},"modified":"2025-07-31T18:08:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T22:08:59","slug":"council-has-serious-concerns-about-provincial-legislation-but-stops-short-of-opposition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/council-has-serious-concerns-about-provincial-legislation-but-stops-short-of-opposition\/","title":{"rendered":"Council has \u201cserious concerns\u201d about Provincial legislation, but stops short of opposition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Aurora Council has expressed \u201cserious concerns\u201d with Provincial legislation the government says is designed to \u201cstreamline\u201d the creation of homes and stimulate the economy, but critics claim will result in a serious hit to both the environment and a municipality\u2019s power to plan for growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The formal expression of concern came at a Special Council meeting on July 15, which was called by Ward 1 Councillor Ron Weese, Ward 2 Councillor Rachel Gilliland, Ward 3 Councillor Wendy Gaertner and Ward 5 Councillor John Gallo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayor Tom Mrakas, Ward 4 Councillor Michael Thompson, and Ward 6 Councillor Harold Kim did not attend the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councillors went into last Tuesday\u2019s meeting with a motion from Councillor Weese calling on Council to formally \u201coppose\u201d Bill 5 \u2013 the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, and Bill 17, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, both of which are now enshrined into law following Royal Assent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the discussions, however, the wording was softened from \u201coppose\u201d to an expression of \u201cserious concern,\u201d pending further information from the Province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese bills are not trivial, and while some may wish to take a wait-and-see approach and not join the growing number of municipalities and environmental groups that are questioning the content of these bills, I am not one of them,\u201d said Councillor Weese at the start of the meeting. \u201cI believe that open and accurate discussion of these bills in public by this Council will provide information that reflects our interests and is part of the role of this Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet me say that there are parts of this legislation, as well as the intent, that are supportable as we navigate the economic realities that face us and wish to maintain our authority over our community and our country. Likewise, I don’t think these motions before [us] are perfect. They may not be exactly reflective, and I welcome both discussion and amendments from my colleagues that express our values here in Aurora.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councillor Weese said the motions came following a June 10 Committee of the Whole meeting at which Kathy Duncan of Climate Change Newmarket Aurora asked Council to formally oppose the legislation, followed by similar delegations to Aurora\u2019s Environmental Advisory Committee. He noted he hoped to have the motions on the table at Council\u2019s July 24 meeting, the last one before the summer recess, but \u201cwas rejected for discussion at that time because it had been submitted and needed a two-thirds majority for inclusion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t get that support when three Council members voted against it, and so we are here tonight,\u201d said Weese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A similar perspective was added by Councillor Gallo who said he was \u201cdisappointed we had to go through significant hoops in order to get here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven if you don\u2019t agree with these motions, it\u2019s important to have those discussions publicly,\u201d he continued. \u201cI am glad to see that our Procedural Bylaw allows the majority of Council to do this as we are doing tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The intent to hold a Special Council meeting was announced earlier this month, an announcement which was followed by a statement from Mayor Mrakas that it was not the right time to move forward with firm opposition as many variables had not yet been fleshed out by the Province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He did not respond to The Auroran\u2019s request for comment on why he did not attend the July 15 meeting, but posted a statement to social media on July 20 addressing the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLast week, four members of Council called a Special Meeting,\u201d he wrote. \u201cMy office was not consulted on the date and time of the meeting, and I was formally notified by the Clerk only after the date and time had been set by the four members. Unfortunately, this meant I was unable to attend. Even though I was unable to attend the meeting, I\u2019m glad to see that the Councillors ultimately amended the motion to reflect a more reasonable and effective approach \u2014 one that followed the position I had already outlined and that aligns with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile the meeting itself brought nothing new to the conversation, I\u2019m pleased that my formal statement submitted to the agenda (and received for information at the meeting) helped inform Council\u2019s decision to revise the original motion and take a more constructive path forward \u2014 focusing on concerns rather than opposing the legislation (Bill 5 & 17) in its entirety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs Mayor and Head of Council, I will continue to stand up for Aurora\u2019s interests\u2014just as I\u2019ve consistently done throughout this term. That means cutting through the noise, staying focused on results, and working directly with the Premier and Ministers to ensure our voice is not only heard but taken seriously at the Province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councillor Kim told The Auroran he was unable to attend the meeting due to a family commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnfortunately, no one advised me of this Special Council meeting until a week or two prior to the meeting,\u201d said Councillor Kim. \u201cI am in agreement with the amended motion that was passed by Council. Streamlining housing and infrastructure development is needed but it needs to be balanced with environmental concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, Councillor Thompson said he informed staff and all Council members \u201cwell in advance\u201d that he had an all-day work commitment that conflicted with the meeting\u2019s 5 p.m. start time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHad the meeting been held at our regular 7 p.m. start time, I would have been able to attend and participate,\u201d he said. \u201cAs for Bill 5 and 17 I share the opinion that aspects of these Bills raise practical concerns that merit further discussion and collaboration between the Province, municipalities and key stakeholders. While the goals of stimulating economic development and addressing housing supply are important the implementation of these Bills introduces significant implications for local governance, environmental stewardship and community planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cConstructive dialogue is essential, and I support efforts to bring all parties to the table to explore adjustments\/changes, identify unintended consequences, and create solutions that are workable, fair and sustainable for all communities across Ontario.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE CONVERSATION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the presentation of the Motions, Councillor Gilliland, who chaired last week\u2019s meeting, addressed the issue by saying she wanted to \u201cspeak from a place of thoughtfulness and concern.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe idea of accelerating economic development and reducing red tape resonates with many of us in the public office, especially at the local level, where delays and duplication can sometimes slow good projects,\u201d she said, before putting forward an amendment to change the wording to \u201cserious concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe introduction of Special Economic Zones could, under the right circumstances, help unlock investment jobs and even local innovation. But good intentions aren’t enough. What concerns me is how the Bill was passed and what was left behind in the rush. In just 49 days, this Bill moved from the first reading to a Royal Assent, with little time for public consultation, limited debate, and no meaningful municipal engagement,\u201d she continued. \u201cEven more troubling are the gaps in accountability and protection. One, it allows the province to override local planning authority, potentially without local consent. Two, it weakens long-standing environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act. Three, it offers broad immunity from legal challenge, effectively cutting off residents and communities from seeking recourse if harm occurs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said she did not agree that the Bills should be opposed by Council in their entirety as that would be \u201cpremature and somewhat dismissive of the potential benefits that do come along with this Bill,\u201d but it was Council\u2019s \u201cduty to raise the red flags where necessary and to suggest a better and more balanced way to go forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wording change, she said, \u201crecognizes the value of economic progress, but insists on transparency, consultation and accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councillor Gallo, who participated in the meeting over Zoom, noted the wording suggested by Councillor Gilliland was somewhat \u201clighter\u201d than what was put forward by Councillor Weese, and this was a factor which made Councillor Gaertner oppose the wording change, although she ultimately voted for the motions as amended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She noted \u201cI don\u2019t think that this goes far enough to express the deep concern that I have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBill 5 just guts the endangered species protection and creates economic zones where pretty much anything goes,\u201d she said, going as far as to describe the economic zones as \u201cabove the law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s called eliminating red tape, and whatever else one wants to say, but if you really look at it, the intent is very, very clear,\u201d she continued. \u201cIt was clear in the Speech from the Throne. It was clear during the discussion of the Bills, the wording in the now-laws\u2026they don’t leave much doubt that everything is not as important as the economic advancement. I agree\u2026we need\u2026to make our province healthy and to help Canada as a whole, but at what cost are we looking at?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe proposed legislation replaces the province’s 18-year-old Endangered Species Act with a narrower Species Conservation Act. The new law gives cabinet, not a committee of scientists, as was previously the case, the power to decide which animals and plants should be protected and abolishes obligations for the government to create recovery strategies and report on them, which is always important for transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt further says that any other decisions about species at risk can also be delegated to the deputy minister or any other employee in the ministry. It’s ludicrous. The concern that comes about the lack of accountability and transparency in the execution of this new act is very concerning, and I believe should be very concerning to anybody who lives in this province or even this country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\r\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aurora Council has expressed \u201cserious concerns\u201d with Provincial legislation the government says is designed to \u201cstreamline\u201d the creation of homes and stimulate the economy, but critics claim will result in a serious hit to both the environment and a municipality\u2019s power to plan for growth. The formal expression of concern came at a Special Council […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general_news","category-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3D2k4-9wm","publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-15 07:04:27","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36602"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36602\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36603,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36602\/revisions\/36603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}