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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, M ay 16 ,2 01 9 | 8 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised family of newspapers is comprised f of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca editor@oakvillebeaver.com facebook.com/OakvilleBeavfacebook.com/OakvilleBeavf @OakvilleBeaver WHO WE ARE VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Director of Distribution Charlene Hall Circulation Manager Kim Mossman Director of Production Mark Dills Regional Production Manager Manny Garcia Regional General Manager Steve Foreman Halton Media General Manager Vicki Dillane Regional Director of Media Holly Chriss CONTACT US Oakville Beaver 901 Guelph Line Burlington, ON L7R 3N8 Phone: 289-293-0617 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Digital/Flyer/Retail: 289-293-0624 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 200 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We for verification purposes. We f reserve the right to edit, con- dense or reject letters. Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail kmossman@metroland.com or call 905-631-6095. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT INSIDEHALTON.COM EDITORIAL The Ontario Municipal Board has gone by several names since its creation in 1906. It changed again last year, to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, but now it is changing the way it operates. The former Liberal government, in 2017, worried that the OMB was undermining local, municipal authority, began the reform process. The Ford government has finalized those changes by reverting to old OMB rules and what once had been an independent adjudicator for land-planning issues is now being seen as a patsy for developers. In football, an end run is when a player tries to carry to ball around a defensive line. In Ontario politics, it's any time Doug Ford doesn't get his way. Ontarians should not be surprised. Ford ran a devel- opment-friendly election campaign that would threaten the beloved Greenbelt. Faced with objections there, he backed off, but came back in January with proposed changes to municipal growth plans that he says will attract jobs, boost housing supply in southwestern Onta- rio and empower cities and towns to dictate how and where development occurs. It was a recipe for sprawl then and, with the tabling recently of the More Homes, More Choice Act, is the proof in the pudding: The PC government of Doug Ford is anti-environment and pro-development. Had the Lib- erals under Kathleen Wynne retained power, would the tribunal be any different? It's hard to know. But the effect would almost certainly have been different. For several reasons. The changes Ford's government announced in Janu- ary roll back density targets, allowing greenfields where developers usually build single-family home subdivi- sions to be converted to homes for 40 people per hectare rather than the current 80. The changes announced recently will affect 13 Onta- rio laws, including the Environmental Protection and Endangered Species acts and Ontario Heritage and Plan- ning acts. More than 20 pages of wide-reaching changes to laws affecting Ontario flora and fauna were buried in the More Homes More Choices Act, Bill 108. Activists are calling the act a "doomsday scenario for endangered species in this province." A 2013 study by the David Suzuki Foundation warned of the risks of urban sprawl to the farms, forests and wetlands in the Golden Horseshoe. With only five per cent of Canada's entire land base suitable for growing food and with the land under cities from Toronto to St. Catharines rich with soil needed for such growth, the foundation argued, it is irresponsible of the government to allow further urban sprawl. The provincial housing minister, Steve Clark, says the changes will get more housing to market quicker, create a diversity of housing and grow supply of hous- ing, so housing prices will be more affordable. He is right on the first two points, but the only way for hous- ing to be made more affordable is for costs to come down and when does that ever happen? Municipalities, already cash-strapped before Queen's Park started announcing cuts to education and health among other programs, will find it hard to resist the monies increased development will provide. But resist they must. ONTARIO TILTS PLAYING FIELD IN FAVOUR OF DEVELOPERS Oakville Public Library (OPL) is temporarily clos- ing its Glen Abbey Branch on Monday, June 3 for a ren- ovation to revitalize the space. The branch will be closed for approximately six months. In late 2018 and early 2019, OPL hosted two open houses to collect feedback on what the community would like to see in the reno- vated branch, and also gath- ered this type of feedback through online and in- branch surveys. It has been almost 14 years since this branch closed for renova- tions. The renovation stems from the changing use andfrom the changing use andf role of the branch, and the increased demand for li- brary services, programs and collections in the thriv- ing and diverse surround- ing neighbourhoods. Customers can expect many exciting additions and changes brought by the renovation, including: • A new space featuring technology and materials to inspire creativity in the community; • Flexible program and study spaces; • A refreshed collection of books and other library materials; and • Improved operational efficiency to serve custom- ers better. Starting Tuesday, June 4, OPL will offer a temporary depot inside the Glen Abbey Community Centre, where customers can pick up and return library items, print, place holds, scan and more. OPL will also continue to offer Holds Depots at Six- teen Mile Sports Complex and Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre, where customers can pick up and return li- brary items. For study spaces, pro-For study spaces, pro-F gramming options and com- puters, customers are en- couraged to visit the nearby full-service branches, thefull-service branches, thef Woodside Branch and new-Woodside Branch and new-W ly-opened Sixteen Mile Branch. For additional informa-For additional informa-F tion and updates on the ren- ovation, stay tuned to OPL's social media or visit opl.ca/ myGAreno. This biweekly column is provided by the Oakville Public Library. LIBRARY'S BUSIEST BRANCH GETTING A NEW LOOK MANY EXCITING CHANGES COMING, WRITES OPL OAKVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY Column SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT INSIDEHALTON.COM