Open Letter - Ramara Must Officially Rescind Request for MZO

Ramara has requested a MZO for developments in the Rama Road Corridor. Without an official letter from the municipality rescinding that request it remains in play.

Dear Mayor and Council.

As you are aware, we have grave concerns about the power of Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZO) – how they cut out public consultation and undermine the role that environmental studies play in ensuring developments don’t result in a net loss of value to the public, being two key issues.

The use of a tool that is as blunt and powerful as a MZO is especially concerning in places where landscapes and watersheds are shared, with their ecosystems or flows extending beyond a single jurisdiction.

Image showing the watersheds in and surrounding Lake Simcoe and Simcoe County.
Image showing the watersheds in and surrounding Lake Simcoe and Simcoe County.

Return to the Planning Process

To ensure development provides a benefit to the community, by which we mean both our human communities and the natural communities that we are a part of and rely upon, it is crucial that they meet a high level of rigour in determining their ‘fitness’ in a given location. Projects such as what is proposed for the Rama Road Corridor must, at minimum, meet the requirements set out under the Planning Act process.

MZOs Cause Inconsistency and Confusion

Confusion remains, however, regarding whether a MZO has been requested by Ramara for projects in the Rama Road Corridor. Our coalition was relieved to hear, during the Orillia special meeting this week, that Ramara does not want to proceed with a MZO request.

It is important to be very clear that the Township of Ramara has initiated a MZO request, and that until and unless Council officially rescinds this request with a letter to the Minister, this request stands.

Ramara Has Requested a MZO

The fact that Ramara has initiated a MZO request, which is all that is required since there is no formal application process outlined under Section 47 of the Planning Act for MZOs, is evidenced by the following:

First, a motion was passed by the Township of Ramara on November 2, 2020. In item 6.1 of the agenda council passed a motion to allow Mayor Clarke to sign a letter to accompany the Rama Road Economic Employment District package. Although the letter does not mention a MZO application in its body, within the package the request for a MZO for this project was bluntly stated:

“The municipality is requesting that the Minister ​enact​ a Minister’s Zoning Order for the three proposed developments in order to commence the growth and development within the Rama Road Corridor.”1Township of Ramara. Minutes of the Committee of the Whole Meeting Dated: Monday, November 2, 2020.​ ​(Emphasis added.)

With a motion of council to endorse this package, it most certainly can be considered an official municipal request for a MZO. Further, it doesn’t state it wants to explore a MZO discussion or open up the feasibility of a MZO, but enact one.

Simcoe County Has Backed This Request

Second, a request was made by the Township of Ramara to the County of Simcoe Council to endorse Ramara’s MZO request.

It first went to the Committee of the Whole on November 10, 2020. Mayor Clarke moved a motion “that the County of Simcoe supports the letter dated November 3, 2020, titled Rama Road Economic Employment District.”2County of Simcoe. Minutes of Committee of the Whole Meeting Dated: Tuesday, November 10, 2020.​ As a reminder, this letter accompanies the ​Rama Road Economic Employment District package which explicitly requests a MZO to be enacted.

Screenshot of the section of the Rama Road Corridor Package that requests a MZO.
Screenshot of the section of the Rama Road Corridor Package that requests a MZO.

Next, this recommendation was brought forward to County Council at a Joint Committee of the Whole and Council Meeting on November 24, 2020. From there, Resolution 2020-705 was passed by County Council which resulted in a letter dated December 7, 2020 to MMAH Minister Steve Clark from the County of Simcoe. The body of this letter further outlines that, in fact, a request to enact a MZO was made by Ramara Township AND that County Council supports their request:

Recommendation CCW-132-20

“That the County of Simcoe supports the letter dated November 3, 2020, titled Rama Road Economic Employment District.”

The County of Simcoe is pleased to inform you [Minister Steve Clark] that County Council supports the above proposal within the Rama Road Corridor, in the Township of Ramara, and their request for a Minister’s Zoning Order.”3County of Simcoe. Letter to Minister Clark – Subject: Township of Ramara – Rama Road Economic Employment District: Request for Ministerial Zoning Order (MZO

Only Approval Left Is By Province

Ramara’s MZO request now has two – township and upper tier – of the three approvals it needs to proceed. ​The only approval authority remaining is the province.

Evidently, if Ramara is reconsidering its MZO request for the Rama Road Corridor, then it is clear that the procedural motions that have been put in place need to be rectified.

Officially, regardless of intent, two levels of government have endorsed this MZO request. Saying otherwise is disingenuous to the process both councils have undertaken since November 2, 2020.

Ramara Must Rescind Its MZO Request

Public platitudes about intention do not rectify the official acts of council that have been completed thus far. Therefore, we are requesting that the Township of Ramara rectify this situation officially to align with its comments publicly that a MZO was not applied for. Specifically, the Township of Ramara should reopen the issue before council and pass another motion to send written correspondence to the province directing it to disregard its Rama Road Economic Employment District package and that Council will proceed with these lands through the standard process outlined in the Planning Act, not through a MZO.

Further, since the County of Simcoe is the recognized planning authority in the region, its endorsement of the MZO must also be rescinded. We suggest that a recommendation be made within the Committee of Whole for County Council to notify MMAH that County Council is revoking its support of the Rama Road Corridor MZO letter it sent to Steve Clark dated December 7, 2020. From there, County Council must adopt this recommendation and send formal written correspondence to Minister Clark.

In Conclusion

We hope that the Township of Ramara does not break faith with its public comments in the media and in front of a neighbouring council about not wanting a MZO for these properties. By not officially undoing councils’ actions, this MZO request will still be considered by the province. Further, the developers of this project will still have two levels of endorsement for their projects under a MZO and therefore the province could proceed with the MZO request without further input from either the County or Ramara.

Finally, we must go on record that regardless of the MZO application for the Rama Road Corridor, this project, as it stands, is incompatible with a net benefit for Lake Couchiching, Ontario’s significant wetlands, climate, residents of the Lake Couchiching area or the long-term fiscal health of Ramara Township.

We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to council actions that ensure this MZO application does not proceed.

How Can You Get Involved?

  1. Send a message to Council using our form.
  2. Share your concerns on social media.
  3. Sign up for alerts to stay up to date.

Sign Up to Receive Alerts for Ramara Township

Links to Further Reading

Help us fight MZO requests.
Send a message to your council and MPP, and report MZOs in your community.
Click Here

Related Content

A photo showing two young women studying books, taken from above. Credit Alexis Brown.
Youth

The view from inside: make it make sense

…learning about how planning works is important because it helps us get climate justice happening on the local level. It helps us understand how these changes can actually play out through local government.
But there’s a lot to learn and not a lot of clear information, so how can we learn more?

Read More »
A map showing where development is proposed, and showing how it will impact wetlands. Map by SCGC using layers from Simcoe County, the MNRF, and features drawn from the proposal.
Planning

Rama Road Corridor

Ramara Council must uphold its duty to the public it serves by acknowledging the MZO request, by rectifying it with a motion that would send a letter to the Minister revoking the MZO request, and re-committing to a planning process done in good faith, with full public participation and due diligence paid to environmental and other necessary studies to ensure no negative impacts.

Read More »
A map view of where The Orbit is proposed to be built. Natural features are overlaid.
Featured

The Orbit

In Innisfil, the proponent of a controversial development, The Orbit, has successfully sought backing from council to seek a Minister’s Zoning Order, or MZO, from the province.

If the province grants this request the developer gets a short cut through rules meant to ensure the public is consulted, environmental impacts are studied, and financial consequences understood.

Read More »
Subscribe
Notify of

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

We send out a once-monthly newsletter full of information on what’s happening in Simcoe County and beyond, including information on how you can take action to protect the health of your community.

Hi there!

Use this form to send Margaret an email.
Headshotmargaret
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Name

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Hi there!


Use this form to send Adam an email.

Adam-2
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Name

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for signing up!

You have more power than you think.

Make a choice for a better future.

Donating to SCGC means your impact is local, direct, and helps build better, more sustainable communities in central Ontario.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter!

A monthly missive, full of information on what’s happening in Simcoe County and beyond, community polls you can vote on, and deep dives into key topics.

Become part of our network. Stay informed. Take action. Protect Ontario.

Friends. Online censorship by unaccountable tech companies, combined with an all-out assault on the Greenbelt by Ontario’s developers/government, make this a perilous time for the future of democracy and the power of the people in Ontario.

We need to build new ways of empowering those who believe in accountability, in a healthy environment, and in communities ready to thrive in the economy of tomorrow.

Join our supporter network and stay informed about efforts and actions to protect the Greenbelt, to build communities that support the health and well-being of people, and to lay the foundations of a resilient, climate friendly future.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Name
Address (Optional)
How did you hear about us?(Optional)