(Town of Renfrew Photo)
Of all of the critiques. pro and con, of the recent Ontario Budget, who’s asking Mother Nature?
The organization Environmental Defence has a few scathing observations, noting the word “environment” only occurs in the Provincial Budget document in conjunction with “economic” or ‘trade” and never as something that the Ontario government plans to protect, or in which to invest.
Among Environmental Defence’s concerns is the assault on conservation authorities through amalgamation, risking reduced protection against flooding, landslides and other environmental harms.
The group believes Queen’s Park’s efforts to stimulate housing development are just a euphemism for “sprawl” rather than creatively in-filling existing neighbourhoods.
New highways, and tunnels under existing highways are prioritized- rather than just adjusting toll rates to split truck traffic between the 401 and 407.
Environmental Defence observes the government goes “all-in” on nuclear expansions, committing to unproven SMR technology while zoning battery-storage facilities out of existence.
By Rick Stow
