On January 16th, Ramara Township Council voted in favour of the proposed Willison Sideroad MZO.

In favour:
Basil Clarke
Jennifer Fisher
Sherri Bell
Gary Hetherington

Against:
Keith Bell
Dana Tuju
David Snutch

Rama first nation’s letter

Rama First Nation, despite false claims of support, released a powerful letter to Mayor Basil Clarke opposing the MZO and pointing to the lack of meaningful consultation with them:

JOINT LETTER

A joint letter from

A joint letter opposing the MZO from Green Orillia, Stop Sprawl Orillia, Orillia Wetland Watchers, Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition, Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition, Just Recovery Simcoe, two Orillia City Councillors, and a Severn Township Councillor was sent to Ramara Township Council on January 15th. Read the letter here.

Suppression of Community Voices

Without reasonable notice, Ramara Township removed an essential format for community engagement.

In the last Council meeting on January 16th, Mayor Basil Clarke stated that the public could depute as a form of engagement at the January 30th meeting (timestamp 1:28:48). Formal requests to depute were accepted and deputees have been preparing for their confirmed deputations during the past week.

Then this week, without evidence of a formal council vote regarding a change, deputees were notified that the process for engagement had been drastically altered. Deputations have been cancelled, and a 10 minute dialogue format has been reduced to a 1 minute speech. Furthermore, all letters attached to the agenda under section 1.2 were removed and are no longer reasonably accessible to the public (including Rama First Nation’s letter).

Why are so many community voices being suppressed?

So what now?

There is still time to make your voice heard! Ramara Council makes their final ratifying vote on Monday, January 30th.

No matter what City/township you live in, email Ramara Council and tell them you strongly oppose the MZO:

Mayor: Basil Clarke: bclarke@ramara.ca
Deputy Mayor: Keith Bell: kbell@ramara.ca
Ward 1 Councillor: David Snutch: dsnutch@ramara.ca
Ward 2 Councillor: Jennifer Fisher jfisher@ramara.ca
Ward 3 Councillor: Dana Tuju: dtuju@ramara.ca
Ward 4 Councillor: Gary Hetherington: ghetherington@ramara.ca
Ward 5 Councillor: Sherri Bell: sbell@ramara.ca
cc: council@ramara.ca

And/or pre-register to speak at the Open Forum (virtually or in person): https://bit.ly/3Xy1hA8

*UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 30TH: Ramara Council voted in favour of the MZO again, and it was ratified. Watch the meeting here (starts at 1:43:52).

False Claims of a pre-existing MZO:

Mayor Basil Clarke, in Ramara’s December 12th 2022 Council meeting, twice falsely claims that there is already an MZO on the land, and that the only way to solve the problem of a pre-existing MZO is to request a new MZO. Walied Zekry (Ramara’s Director of Building and Planning and Chief Building Official) backs up these claims.

Mayor Clarke: “The problem is, it is an MZO order that created this Destination Commercial – we don’t have the authority to change it, am I right on that, Walied, that it has to be approved by the minister to change the zoning away from that destination commercial?”
Zekry: “That is correct.”

HOWEVER… there is NO MZO presently on the land!
From Ramara Staff Report #BP-07-23, dated Jan 13, 2023:

So what is the advantage of making a misleading claim of a prior MZO on the land?

An MZO means something very specific, so stating that there is already an MZO is misleading because it’s basically insinuating that there is no reason to be opposed to an MZO if there is already one on the land. The land was designated “Destination Commercial” through a Provincial Policy Statement, that had properties outlined as being primary and Secondary to the plan. Properties in the secondary plan (where the Willison Road Project would be located) require less density due to environmental sensitivity.

The land is designated to protect the environment!

Rama Road Economic Employment District land was designated by a Provincial Policy Statement (a PPS, NOT an MZO) as a result of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. This property, designated “Future Greenfield Area,” according to the Secondary Plan (Schedule A-2) already facilitates the development of mid-density commercial/ residential mixed-use communities. It also limits vertical high density, to produce less stress on infrastructure, (septic and traffic solutions) in this environmentally sensitive area. The Secondary Plan objective is to stimulate economic growth while “ensuring that development patterns and designs recognize and protect environmental features and functions.”

Source: https://www.ramara.ca/en/business-and-development/resources/Documents/OfficialPlanSchedules/Rama-Road-Secondary-Plan.pdf

What protections could be overridden with an MZO?

Direct Quotes from Secondary Plan:

“10.5.1.2 All complete planning applications made for development within the Secondary Plan area shall conform with the Planning Act, shall be consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement 2005, shall not conflict with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, in effect at the time of the decision, and all planning applications shall conform with County of Simcoe Official Plan and the Ramara Official Plan in effect. As well, planning applications must recognize any water quality targets for Lake Couchiching.”

“10.5.2.8 Natural Area features and functions will be protected from development and are integrated into the structure of the Rama Road Corridor.”

“10.5.2.10 The Township shall determine the need for parkland, recreation areas and natural area land dedications, when establishing conditions of approval for all subdivision plans, condominium plans and site plans.”

Other misleading statements in Dec 12, 2022 Council meeting:

1) Claims of prior Rama First Nation Consultation and enthusiasm for the project
1:19:53: Councillor asks if Rama First Nation has been consulted and consultant John Mutton claims that Rama is supportive of the project (without proof) and says they would expedite formal consultation ASAP.

2) False assessments of the scope of the project in comparison to Casino Rama hotel
1:23:45: Zekry misleads about Rama’s building sizes claiming they are taller than the projected buildings, in an effort to persuade that the projected heights aren’t a big deal for the area.

3) The project is confusingly labeled a Retirement Park.
However, only a third of the units are earmarked for seniors (36%)! The rest is open season for real estate investors to flip 6 10- story condos.

4) False claim that the Willison Sideroad property is deemed “Future Development” when it is actually deemed “Future Greenfield Area”
1:02:10 Melanie Horton of Esher Planning makes this claim in the developer’s deputation

Shady Developer Deals

A simple Google search for John Mutton, consultant who was presenting at the December 12, 2022 Ramara Council meeting on behalf of developer Al Soorty, reveals some troubling allegations and associations.

Mutton gave his Zoom deputation to Ramara Council on his phone from his car. His deputation slides are actually entitled: “1840 BROWN LINE PRESENTATION TO CAVAN MONAGHAN COUNCIL,” showing that he is using recycled slides from a previous MZO request in a different Township. Is this a one-MZO-fits-all template? If consultants are sloppy as to neglect to change the title of their MZO request deputation, then what else is this developer going to let slide and what other shortcuts is he going to take?

Make Your Voice Heard

Community engagement is key to land use planning.

This MZO request is particularly important considering
the complications of the removal of municipal oversight
of many projects as a result of Bill 23’s passing. Council
will be voting on this on January 16th, make your
voice heard before then.

Email Ramara Township Council:
Mayor: Basil Clarke: bclarke@ramara.ca
Deputy Mayor: Keith Bell: kbell@ramara.ca
Ward 1 Councillor: David Snutch: dsnutch@ramara.ca
Ward 2 Councillor: Jennifer Fisher jfisher@ramara.ca
Ward 3 Councillor: Dana Tuju: dtuju@ramara.ca
Ward 4 Councillor: Gary Hetherington: ghetherington@ramara.ca
Ward 5 Councillor: Sherri Bell: sbell@ramara.ca

November 3, 2020: Ramara Township requests an MZO in the Rama Road corridor just south of Rama for 3 large and highly transformative development projects, including a water park. Ramara mayor Basil Clarke outlined the township’s case for making the request.

This request was made on areas of natural heritage and Provincially Significant Wetland on Lake Couchiching, some of which had not yet been properly assessed for the degree of its environmental sensitivity, and its ability to support a large-scale septic solution.

Due to community pushback, the urging of neighbouring municipalities, and concern from Rama First Nation, “… the Township of Ramara and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) agreed that a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) would not be used in stimulating growth on Rama Road Corridor” (Ramara media release). Mayor Basil Clarke also expressed commitment to approaching the project with community consultation and proper assessments next time.

Source: Ramara Councillor Dana Tuju’s Ward 3 Newsletter: Issue 1 – January 2023

MZO in the Rama Road Corridor: Now

December 12, 2022: Shortly after new council inauguration, this proposal resurfaced as a deputation from John Mutton and Melanie Horton on behalf of Al Soorty Development, requesting an MZO for one of the development projects in the Rama Road Corridor, located on Willison Sideroad.

However, during the two years between these proposals, it does not appear the developer has commenced or publicly shared a formal process for seeking and integrating community feedback, or results for services, safety, and feasibility assessments PRIOR to once again requesting MZO shortcuts. There were no environmental, social impact, or financial (both affordability and taxpayer implications) assessments provided with this recent deputation.

Source: Ramara Councillor Dana Tuju’s Ward 3 Newsletter: Issue 1 – January 2023

Councillor Dana Tuju – Statement

Ramara Ward 3 Councillor Dana Tuju has been the most vocal opponent to the proposed MZO, giving a comprehensive and well researched statement to Council during their December 12th meeting. She has also been working hard to educate her constituents on the matter on her recent Ward 3 Newsletter: Issue 1 – January 2023. Thank you Councillor Tuju!

What is an MZO?

A Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) is meant for situations of extraordinary urgency. It overrides local planning authority to approve development without expert analysis, public input, or any chance of appeal. Since taking office, the current Ontario government has been issuing MZOs at an extraordinary rate to impose low-density sprawl and other risky development on wetlands and other protected lands. The present government has issued more MZOs than all the governments from 1995 to 2018 combined!

It is very difficult to find information about MZOs on the Ontario government’s website. The Yours to Protect Initiative created a map to show MZOs that have been approved since the pandemic began, as well as MZOs that have been requested by municipalities or developers but not yet issued.

Source: https://yourstoprotect.ca/ministers-zoning-order-map/

Environmental Risks of an MZO in the Rama Road Corridor

• MZOs reduce environmental assessments to the point of being meaningless
• Proposed project will likely be used as a baseline to replicate other similar requests in an unsustainable way in the near future
• Proposed project is sitting on the border of Rama First Nation lands
• Proposed project has a significant amount of unevaluated wetlands in the middle of the property
• Proposed project encroaches on the NAP zoning of the Atherley-Sucker Creek Wetlands, a Provincially Significant Wetlands Complex that act as a critical buffer to Lake Couchiching
• The amount of runoff from such a large development will be difficult to control, more so if an MZO circumvents site plan approvals – and we drink that water.

Make Your Voice Heard!

Community engagement is key to land use planning.

This MZO request is particularly important considering the complications of the removal of municipal oversight of many projects as a result of Bill 23’s passing. Council will be voting on this on January 16th, make your voice heard before then.

Email Ramara Township Council:

• Mayor: Basil Clarke: bclarke@ramara.ca
• Deputy Mayor: Keith Bell: kbell@ramara.ca
• Ward 1 Councillor: David Snutch: dsnutch@ramara.ca
• Ward 2 Councillor: Jennifer Fisher jfisher@ramara.ca
• Ward 3 Councillor: Dana Tuju: dtuju@ramara.ca
• Ward 4 Councillor: Gary Hetherington: ghetherington@ramara.ca
• Ward 5 Councillor: Sherri Bell: sbell@ramara.ca

Other Resources

• Ramara Councillor Dana Tuju’s Ward 3 Newsletter: Issue 1 – January 2023
• Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition has a full blog post on the original MZO plans from two years ago
• December 12th, 2022 Ramara Council Meeting recording
• OrilliaMatters January 12th, 2023 article: ‘Lots of concern’ about planned development near Casino Rama