Council braces for fallout from Ontario’s controversial economic stimulus legislation

By Christena Lawrie, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

At their June 3 meeting, city councillors reviewed a report detailing the potential impacts of Ontario’s controversial Bills 5 and 17. 

Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act was already formally opposed by council at their May 23 meeting due to concerns over environmental risks, reduced municipal planning authority, and the opposition of Indigenous communities. 

Bill 17, Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, aimed at speeding up housing and infrastructure development, could have impacts on municipal planning, including losing the ability to require critical planning studies. 

While both Bills made their way through Queen’s Park last week, Chief Administrative Officer Lanie Hurdle noted that the full breadth of future impacts on Kingston remain unclear. 

“…We are treated as a child,” Councillor Conny Glenn stated before council. “…Unfortunately, I think we’re going to find ourselves in a very awkward situation trying to balance these things and that unfortunately it’s not going to have the intended impact of really speeding building.”

Listen to the full story here.