Support

The Orbit - Innisfil

A giant development proposed along the GO Train line in Innisfil. This mega-project is slated to pave over farmland and radically change how Innisfil grows for decades to come. It will also place a great burden on nearby Lake Simcoe.

Read More

What's Happening?

Update August 9, 2021: MZO order issued by province; Development proceeding.

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.

Issuing a MZO effectively eliminates public input and reduces oversight into the net benefit of a development.

Innisfil council should affirm the principle that the voice of residents – your voice – matters when its comes to how their community develops, and require developers to follow the rules in place without any shortcuts.

Quick Facts

150,000 People

Paving Over Farmland

≠ Urban Growth Centre

Actions You Can Take

Why is it a concern?

The Orbit is a concern, and should be given due process and careful consideration, given its size, scale, and location.
A map view of where The Orbit is proposed to be built. Natural features are overlaid.
A map view of where The Orbit, outlined in white, is proposed to be built. Natural features are overlaid. Click for a larger version.
On paper it seems great — a development focused on high density living, where people are close to amenities, including public transportation to major urban centres.
 
The glaring question, however, is why here — why should a development for 150,000 additional people be located in what is currently a largely rural area?
 
It seems the only reason this location is being pushed is the developer owns the land and wants to turn a profit, otherwise it makes absolutely no sense.
 
Given these concerns, this request for a MZO can be seen as an attempt to avoid uncomfortable questions that might be raised by going through due process and engaging in public consultation.
 
If a development is a net benefit to the community then developers can easily demonstrate that by engaging with those who it will most impact, namely the public and residents of the community.
 
We need more public engagement and participation in determining how our communities develop, not less.

How Can You Get Involved?

  1. Use our MZO action page to tell elected representatives of your concerns regarding their use.
  2. Write a letter to local papers outlining your concern with the development.
  3. Use our sign up form, below, to get updates on environmental issues, including The Orbit, happening in Innisfil.

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

This illustration image of Poilievre combines a frame from a now notorious engagement where he belittled a journalist while eating an apple, with a photo of a forest fire added as a backdrop, in place of the orchard.
Climate Change

Issue In Brief: Understanding the Carbon Tax

The debate around the carbon tax frequently misses its broader economic and environmental benefits. By effectively addressing the externality of carbon emissions, the carbon tax stands as a critical component of Canada’s strategy to combat climate change and promote sustainable growth. Clear communication and understanding of the policy’s benefits, including the progressive rebate program, are vital in navigating public concerns and fostering support for this essential environmental initiative.

Read More »
April 3, 2024 No Comments
Reports

Community Polls

Every month we send out our newsletter, in which we include a poll, as well as results from the previous month’s poll. Open polls, as well as completed ones, are below.

Subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out!

Read More »
March 30, 2024 No Comments
Events

In Conversation: Catherine McKenna

Join us for an hour-long conversation, including a question and answer session, that will cover topics including the current state of Canada’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions, how we can think about progress to combat climate change in the presence of political uncertainty, and the role of women in public life, particularly in an era that seems to be one of increasingly toxic discourse, including around gender.

Read More »
March 29, 2024 No Comments
Aerial view of red fall leaves, a lake, and cottages on the shore. Photo by Derek Sutton on Unsplash
Letter

The Year That Was: 2023

Our approach to our work has always been how we can make an impact in long-lasting and effective ways.  We hold ourselves to high standards — how can we create better rules, better systems and better communities? 

Internally, that means we reflect to ensure that we’re putting our values into practice. This year, we decided to adopt a different way to assess our impact. 

Read More »
December 18, 2023 No Comments
Subscribe
Notify of

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

1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Read More

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.

Home

Our Work

Take Action

Contact Us

Hi there!

Use this form to send Margaret an email.

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

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

Thank you for signing up!

Hi there!

Will you give a small amount to help us continue to do the work that we do?

As a small, grassroots environmental organization, each contribution we receive truly makes a big difference.

DONATE

Subscribe to Our Newsletter!

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