QUEEN’S PARK – Oshawa MPP and NDP Infrastructure critic Jennifer French, and NDP Environment critic Sandy Shaw, are demanding the Ford government immediately revoke the Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) that threatens to destroy the Duffins Creek wetland, after CBC News reported that Amazon is no longer planning to build a giant warehouse on this site.
“This is a victory for the community who have been fighting the Ford government’s plan to pave over Duffins Creek, and fighting to protect this greenspace and precious wetland for generations to come. The NDP is proud to stand with the community, youth, Williams Treaties First Nations, and environmental advocates against Ford’s attempt to allow his developer friends to destroy our environment,” said French.
“The fight is far from over. The developers are still being allowed to pave over this wetland, and we need to ensure this cannot happen. We are demanding that Doug Ford listen to the community, and revoke the permit to pave and this MZO immediately.”
Last week, the Ford government ordered the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TCRA) to issue a permit that would authorize the developer, Triple Group of Companies, to destroy Duffins Creek wetland by today, March 12. The owners of this development company have made several political donations to the PC Party of Ontario, Premier Doug Ford, and Pickering-Uxbridge MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy.
“The Ford government has tried every tactic they can to destroy Duffins Creek, and is even re-writing laws to allow developers to bulldoze over this protected area. The decision by Amazon to pull out is not the end of this battle, and we need the Ford government to revoke the MZO that benefits the developers Triple Group, owned by PC donors,” said Shaw.
“The community has spoken loudly and clearly. They don’t ever want to see Duffins Creek left in the hands of developers, and we are proud to continue to stand alongside them until the Ford government finally takes action to put a stop to these plans once and for all.” |
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