The Standard (St. Catharines)

Planning process problems remain unsolved

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RE: NIAGARA REGION PLANNING COMMISSION­ER SAYS PROVINCE’S HOUSING LAWS ARE BEING REINVENTED, MAY 17

The OMB was dissolved because the record showed quite clearly that the board ruled in favour of developers in more than 90 per cent of its hearings.

It never mattered whether or not a local citizens’ group had a credible planning argument or not, in nine-out-of-10 cases their concerns were ignored. So far, the OMB’s replacemen­t, the LPAT, have proved to be equally pro-developmen­t.

The real problem is much closer to home, it is town hall planners who deal directly with developers to find variances and amendments to ignore and bypass any existing planning policies in order to approve developmen­t.

And the bigger problem is elected councils who ignore their responsibi­lities as planning authoritie­s because they are scared to question or oppose the recommenda­tions of their planners.

Affordable housing is both a distractio­n and a myth. As long as the developmen­t lobby rules, with the full support of planners, profit is the only motive.

The only way truly affordable housing can be built is as tax subsidized housing.

Andrew Watts

Wainfleet

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