Toronto Star Calls for A Planning Board

The Toronto Star ran an editorial this weekend that discussed the concerns that many stakeholders have with Ontario’s Far North Act (Bill 191) as it’s currently written.

Based on our experiences at the hearings on the Act, and the concerns that we heard raised by various stakeholders, The Star is on the mark calling for an independent board to be set up to oversee land-use planning in Ontario. It also accurately points out the Act, as it stands does not create “the “true partnership” First Nations were promised” and “goes against the advice of the government’s own advisory council.” The piece suggests:

The province should consider including this in amended legislation to ensure it delivers on its stated vision of protection, and economic development, for Ontario’s far north. It would also go some way to bringing First Nations back into the fold.

We hope that the Far North Act will succeed, but it must be amended to reflect the commitments the Premier made to the people of Ontario in July 2008.

Several other jurisdictions that have successfully adopted an independent board to oversee land-use planning. We’ll be writing about some of them later this week.