The CORE Of The Problem

 

As I continue to reflect upon the sad outcome of the recent Ontario provincial election, I find that the bulk of my disdain, my odium, my repugnance, is aimed not at the minority of voters who gave Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives another majority. Rather, it is toward the majority who, through inertia, ignorance or overly delicate sensibilities (I didn't like any of the candidates!) elected to forgo one of their key responsibilities of citizenship - getting out to the polls.

And the true results of that dereliction of duty are just starting to emerge. Noor Javed writes:

It was supposed to be the most significant investment in Port Hope’s history.

But a land deal — two years in the making — between the municipality and the Ontario Power Generation to acquire 540 hectares of unused Crown land along Lake Ontario was abruptly terminated by the province, which said the land would instead be assessed by its newest program: the Centre of Realty Excellence (CORE).

The province’s last-minute intervention stunned local politicians and residents who said the local MPP, who is also Doug Ford’s environment minister, supported the $18.6-million deal, which would have seen underutilized lands used for employment, housing and the preservation of environmentally sensitive lands.

Given that the erstwhile deal included housing development, but also the preservation of environmentally sensitive lands, it is perhaps instructive to look at what the government's CORE website has to say: distilled to its essence, it is all about facilitating rapid development of housing through the reduction of red tape, along with stern penalties for municipalities and their taxpayers that don't get with the program:

Applicants who do not receive approval of their site plan application within the legislated timeframe would have their application fees refunded through a phased approach. Fees would be refunded at the following percentages based on the amount of time that has passed since the municipality received the complete application and fee, starting January 1, 2023:

• 50% of the fee within 60 days
• 25% of the fee within 90 days (for a total refund of 75%)
• 25% of the fee within 120 days (for a total refund of 100%)

Considering Doug Ford's well-known ties with developers, the defunct deal with Port Hope should alarm those who understand how important and increasingly urgent it is to preserve environmentally sensitive lands. Says Jennifer Jackman, who is part of a group that represents local environmental groups Willow Beach Field Naturalists and the Northumberland Land Trust:

“This area is unique naturally, it’s not one type of ecosystem … it’s a forested area with ravines running through it that connects to a wetlands. That functioning ecosystem is unusual, particularly south of the 401”.

Jackman said it’s too early to say if the environment will play a role in CORE.

“We haven’t found much about what CORE will be like — what its priorities will be. It doesn’t mention conservation or ecology as one of its priorities, it’s more about getting value for their lands. So we are a little nervous about this,” she said. 

Ms. Jackman is right to be nervous. And if things run to their predictable outcome, she will have not only the Doug Ford government to blame, but the millions of  Ontarians who could not muster the intestinal fortitude to stop a second Progressive Conservative majority by exercising their franchise.