I am deeply opposed to the…

I am deeply opposed to the designation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as a vehicle to fast-track development and accelerate economic growth in Ontario for the following reasons:
● the designation of SEZs are at the discretion of the Minister or Cabinent. This further concentrates power for land use decisions in the hands of a few politicians;
● SEZs will be exempt of the requirement for public input under the EBR and will only be ordered at the discretion of the Minister. This provision is intended to limit the ability of opposing interests and the general public to participate in the approvals process;
● Proposed development within a SEZ will be approved if deemed by Cabinent to be "economically significant or strategically important". The potential for "significant and irreversible environmental harm" should be assigned the same weighting in the evaluation of a proposal to ensure that environmental concerns remain an equal priority;
● There is no legally-binding requirement of a "trusted proponent" to obtain free, prior and informed consent from First Nations, creating a potential violation of Indigenous Rights;
● There should be a clear and well-defined set of stringent criteria for naming a "trusted proponent" including its relationship with workers, concerned stakeholders and the local communities where it operates, along with its environmental compliance record.

To demonstrate how unsavoury SEZs could be in the eyes of the public consider this scenario: If Ford established a SEZ in his North Etobicoke riding to allow the construction of affordable housing on existing parkland (without due process and public input), I'm certain he would face a very large group of angry and rebellious constituents.