LSRCA blasted over controversial wetland development in Georgina
Premier called on 'to direct this rogue conservation authority'

Yorkregion.com
April 10, 2018
Heidi Riedner

The NDP’s environment critic blasted the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority this week at Queen's Park over its decision to grant approval for a wetland development in Georgina, calling on Premier Kathleen Wynne “to direct this rogue conservation authority to follow the law, stop this development and prevent the loss of this provincially significant wetland.”

The LSRCA, however, in an open letter to the public, says it has remained objective and acted according to its mandate and the laws that govern the conservation authority throughout the process.

Toronto Danforth MPP and Ontario NDP environment critic Peter Tabuns demanded the premier put an immediate stop to the DG Group’s 1,073-unit Maple Lake Estates development slated for lands in the North Gwillimbury Forest north of Deer Park Road in Keswick.

The registered plan of subdivision, which has grandfathered planning approvals dating back to the 1980s, predates provincially legislated environmental protections, including designated wetlands.
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A section 28 permit, unanimously approved by the LSRCA board mast month, effectively cleared the way for development, sparking outrage from area residents, environmentalists and the town’s elected officials, who formally opposed the permit.

That was followed by Tabuns raising the issue this week at Queen's Park, saying the LSRCA "illegally approved" the massive development that would pave over the Paradise Beach-Island Grove provincially significant wetland.

"I say illegally because this development clearly violates the provincial policy statement, which strictly prohibits such developments,” Tabuns said in Question Period Monday.

Tabuns added this isn’t the first time that loopholes in Liberal government legislation have allowed conservation authorities to “run roughshod over natural heritage and wetland protection”.

“My friend, the member for Welland, has warned about how the Niagara Regional Conservation Authority appears to have been captured by private interests,” Tabuns said, asking why the Premier is allowing conservation authorities and developers "to ignore her government’s own laws to protect wetlands and natural heritage".

While the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry administers the Conservation Authorities Act and its regulations, it does not "interfere" with what are considered operational decisions of local conservation authorities, Minister Nathalie Des Rosiers responded.

The ministry is, however, looking at possible appeals to the decision, she added.

“We are looking into this particular file to see whether there is anything that has not been done properly,” she said.

In an open letter to the Lake Simcoe watershed community, the LSRCA defended its decision to grant the permit.

“In the case of the Maple Lake Estates development, the planning process and public consultation took place many decades ago," the letter states.

The Section 28 permit process only includes consultation between the applicant and the conservation authority. As with all permit applications we receive, the Maple Lake Estates application was evaluated on its own facts and had to meet the criteria set out in the Conservation Authorities Act. This is the same criteria applied to all applications for a permit from the conservation authority, without exception.”

The letter goes on to say that throughout its 67-year history, the LSRCA has made fact-based, transparent decisions using fair and balanced principles founded on law.

"This decision was no different."