Bill 26, Strong Communities Act On November 30, 2004, the Strong Communities (Planning Amendment) Act, 2004 received Royal Assent. This Act amends the Planning Act. The purpose of the Act, is to address municipal concerns and substantially increase public input into the planning process by increasing the number of days for municipalities to review land use applications. The significant changes for the City, development industry, and the public are:
Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below.
Central Pickering - Ontario Planning and Development Act Plan The Province has approved a development plan for a new community on the provincially owned Seaton lands and the protection of the Agricultural Assembly lands. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below.
Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek Watershed Studies In 2000, two separate Task Forces were established to address the watersheds of Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek. The Task Forces comprised of watershed residents, elected officials, and representatives from government agencies and environmental groups. The role of each Task Force was to develop a watershed management strategy in order to provide direction for future land use planning decisions and management of the watersheds. Reports have been completed by the Task Forces and released. Pickering is providing input to the terms of reference for implementing the Watershed Plan for Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below.
The Regions of Durham and York are participating in a joint study to find a better way to manage the residual wastes (i.e., garbage) remaining after recycling and composting. Through the Joint Waste Management Group, the two municipalities are addressing the social, environmental and financial impacts of this issue by way of an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the Provincial EA Act. On June 21 and 22, 2006 Durham and York Regional Councils approved the recommendation that the "Thermal Treatment of Waste" is the preferred system for managing residual garbage over the long-term in Durham and York. This decision followed extensive public consultation on the evaluation process. Now that the preferred system has been identified, the next step in the EA process is to identify a site(s) to locate the facility or facilities somewhere in Durham and / or York Region. On September 12, 13 and 14, Public Information Sessions were held in Durham and York Regions to discuss the process of identifying the preferred long-term site(s) to establish a Thermal Treatment facility or facilities. The preliminary evaluation process and criteria that were included in the Approved EA Terms of Reference were presented and there was an opportunity to comment. The proposed evaluation process and criteria can also be found on the Study website at: www.durhamyorkwaste.ca. Subsequent Public Information Sessions for Durham Region were be held April 12, April 14, and April 21, 2007. For more information on the Durham / York Residual Waste Study, visit www.durhamyorkwaste.ca, call 905.668.7711 ext. 3731 (or 1.800.372.1102), or e-mail info@durhamyorkwaste.ca.
In 2001 the federal lands in Pickering, Markham and Uxbridge were declared an airport site. Airport zoning regulations (AZRs) have recently been released by Transport Canada for the Pickering lands. The Pickering Airport Site Zoning Regulations apply to the land adjacent to, and in the vicinity of, the Pickering Airport Site. The AZR includes height restrictions on buildings, structures, and objects in order to maintain the required obstacle-free airspace for safe manoeuvering of aircraft and to maintain the operational integrity of an airport. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below In 2001, Transport Canada announced that it would be taking steps to protect the Oak Ridges Moraine portion of the lands it owned in Pickering, Markham and Uxbridge. A Green Space Stewardship Advisory Committee was subsequently established to assist the federal government in preparing a master plan for these Green Space lands. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below Transport Canada has authorized the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) to commence an interim planning process for the purpose of considering the possible development of a regional-reliever airport on the remaining portion of its ownership (i.e. the lands not within the Oak Ridges Moraine). A draft plan for the Pickering lands has now been developed and outlines a staged plan for an airport. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below
The Ministry of Transportation (MTO), with the consulting assistance of Totten Sims Hubicki (TSH) is undertaking an Individual Environmental Assessment for Highway 407 East. On January 17, 2005, the Minister of Environment approved the Environmental Assessment (EA) Terms of Reference (TOR) for 407 East that was submitted on November 29, 2004. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below
Highway 407 (Seaton Lands) Economic Development Study This study, completed by the Province of Ontario, provides guidance and direction respecting future land uses, employment opportunities, servicing, infrastructure requirements and sustainability objectives for all "employment designated" lands (approximately 325 hectares or 800 acres) generally located along the Highway 407 corridor.
In April 2003, the Province passed a Zoning Order, which covers an area bounded on the east by the West Duffins Valley lands; on the west by the York - Durham municipal boundary; on the north by Highway 407, and on the south by a Hydro corridor that runs just south of the Third Concession in the City of Pickering. Additional information can be found by clicking on the links below
Nuclear Waste Management Organization The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is mandated under the federal Nuclear Fuel Waste Act with identifying, analyzing, and recommending a long-term nuclear waste fuel storage solution for Canada. They have three years to provide the Minister of Natural Resources with their recommendation and their work is to focus on three immediate concepts:
The NWMO is a not-for-profit corporation and fully funded by the major owners of Canadian nuclear waste fuel (Ontario Power Generation, New Brunswick Power, Hydro-Quebec, and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited). A six-member board of directors governs the organization that is supported by an Advisory Council. The City of Pickering will be monitoring the work that the NWMO is conducting and will periodically comment on the information and recommendations that it releases during the next three years. For more information, visit the NWMO website at www.nwmo.ca.
The Oak Ridges Moraine is an environmentally sensitive, geological landform stretching from the Niagara Escarpment in the west to the Trent River in the east. It covers over 190,000 hectares of land and contains a unique concentration of environmental, geological and hydrological features. The Moraine separates the watershed draining southward into Lake Ontario from those draining northward into Lake Simcoe, Georgian Bay and the Trent River system. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below In 2001, the Province passed the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, 2001 - which provides for the preparation of a framework for the future protection of, and development on, the Moraine through the environmentally based Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. A copy of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, the Conservation Plan and the associated mapping can be downloaded by clicking on the links below
Nine conservation authorities across the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) have united as the Conservation Authorities Moraine Coalition to advocate for and protect the ORM along its entire length. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below. The City of Pickering is preparing Oak Ridges Moraine Conformity Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below.
The Province has established an Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation with a mandate to fund activities such as land securement, research, monitoring and public education. The Foundation is providing grants to charitable organizations for projects that preserve, protect, and restore the environmental integrity of the Oak Ridges Moraine and support a trail along it. Applications for funding are now being accepted. Groups and organizations who have specific "on the ground projects" are encouraged to contact the Foundation. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below, then select the funding link under ORMF. Southeast Collector Sanitary Trunk Sewer Project The Region of York and Durham have initiated an Individual Environmental Assessment (IEA) process for the purpose of increasing the capacity of the Southeast Collector (SEC) trunk sewer in order to accommodate the additional sanitary sewer flows projected from future approved growth. The actual undertaking itself has not been specifically determined because the Regions of York and Durham are currently in the Terms of Reference (ToR) stage of the IEA. However, the undertaking may consist of a series of improvements (i.e. "do nothing", limit growth, implement other water conservation and inflow/infiltration reduction measures, construct a new SEC trunk sewer, store and transport the sewage by truck, build a new water pollution control plant etc.) for providing the necessary capacity increase. The proposed undertaking will be defined as York and Durham Region proceed through the IEA process. An Advisory Committee has been established which includes members of the public, representatives of regulatory agencies, and representatives from municipalities, including the City of Pickering, to participate in the project. Additional information can be found by clicking on the link below
|
