This, while facilitating increased pollution and carbon emissions, all in the name of economic growth, affordable homes, and or creating new jobs. These objectives aren’t bad. It’s only that our quality of life and even life itself is dependent on having robust ecosystems that provide us with valuable services such as the air we breathe, the water we drink and a comfortable climate in which we live. It is possible to protect the environment while still having a robust economy as shown by countries such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. It takes balance and creative policy making, traits our current Provincial government seems to lack.

Equally troubling is the Conservative Government’s efforts to stifle debate in the Provincial legislature and reduce the transparency of their policy’s true intent. The Greenbelt land swaps and subsequent backpeddaling are excellent examples. So it is in the context of the disengenuous nature of this government that I bring your attention to another potential environmental fiasco in the making, this time, related to the ownership of water and wastewater systems, in the Province generally, but specfically here in Peel Region.

A Bit of History

In November 2025 the Provincial Government tabled Bill 60 (Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act). Passed with little debate and no public consultation, this Bill authorizes the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to take water and wastewater services away from local governments and assign them to separate water and wastewater public corporations (WWPC). Bill 60 sparked controversy when it was passed. In response to public criticism the government passed ammendments to Bill 60 as part of Bill 98 in the spring of 2026. Key amendments include:

• Restricted Share Ownership: Shares of a designated water and wastewater public corporation (WWPC) can only be issued or transferred to a municipality, in the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, or an agent of any of them. [1, 2]
• Asset Transfer Controls: A new section (Section 9.1) prohibits a WWPC from transferring or selling its water and sewage infrastructure assets unless the corporation’s board of directors explicitly declares the asset is no longer required for those services. [1, 2]
• Debt Separation: Long-term municipal debt obligations cannot be directly transferred to the new corporation. The Minister is given regulation-making authority, however, to require the corporation to make cost-sharing payments back to the municipality for capital works debt. [1, 2]
• Labour & Service Continuity: The amendments guarantee continuous employment, successor rights, and pay equity protections for municipal employees transitioning into the new corporate structure. Existing employment, insurance, and collective agreements are carried forward seamlessly.
• Regulatory Oversight: Systems managed by these public corporations will continue to be treated as municipal drinking water systems under the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, preserving existing public health oversight and operator certification rules. [1, 2]

While groups like the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) welcomed these adjustments which appear to protect public sector ownership, the bill still faces opposition from environmental advocates and labour organizations. Critics argue that allowing shares to be held by an “agent” of the government leaves a loophole for institutional investors (like public pension funds) to financialize water infrastructure meaning a focus on shareholder value rather than ratepayer efficiency. [1, 2, 3, 4].

So what’s the real story?

I recently spoke with Rebecca Kolarich, Water Program Manager with Environmental Defence. Her analysis is that, if the Province was sincere about not privitizing water and waste water systems, then the government could have built more safeguards into the ammendments of Bill 98. According to Rebecca, “Shares can be held by an ‘agent of the government’ but the legislation doesn’t include a proper definition of what an agent is,” “In addition” she continues, “Bill 60, as written, allows the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to designate WWPCs under the Business Corporations Act. By definition these are for-profit organizations that are legally required to make money. Instead the Province could have required these companies to be formed as Municipal Services Corporations”.

Municipal Services Corporations (MSCs) are distinct, business-like entities, wholly owned by a municipality (or shared with other public-sector organizations) to deliver public services or manage infrastructure. MSCs may be set up as, for-profit, or not-for-profit but the difference is that they are strictly publicly accountable and the sole shareholder is the municipality, meaning all dividends and profits flow directly back into the public system rather than to private investors. That the Provincial Government chose a for-profit legal model where shares can be held by independent agents, suggests that the intent is to leave the door open for these services to be privatized.

The situation in Peel is particularly troubling. By 2029 jurisdiction over water and wastewater services will be transferred from Peel to the three lower-tier municipalities which will then be required to deliver services through a newly created WWPC. According to an article published in the Carleton University News, ownership of all of the water and wasterwater infrastrucutre assets, “would be transferred to the WWPC, while Peel’s existing debt remains with the municipal government”. If that happens Peel’s water and wastewater infrastructure would be owned by a for profit company, while Peel’s property taxpayers would be on the hook for paying down Peel’s debt obligations. The very fact that this could happen should be unsettling to all Peel residents.

The big question here for the Provincial Government is, why fix something that doesn’t appear to be broken? Peel Region boasts a highly ranked water and wastewater track record, consistently achieving a 100% inspection rating from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks across its municipal drinking water systems. The region successfully delivers daily services to over 1.5 million residents, treating over 1.7 billion litres of drinking water and 660 million litres of wastewater daily. [1, 2, 3].

Bill 60 and Bill 98 aligns with seemingly broader efforts to both expand financialization of Ontario’s public assets while at the same time trasferring power away from municipal governments and non-government organizations such as conservation authorities.

Over the past 6 years, municipalities have lost much of their control over things like road engineering, environmental regulations and land-use management. Sources of external municipal income have been curtailed especially related to development charges and automated speed enforcement cameras. More progressive tools to change traffic patterns like road tolls and congestion charges are a non-starter in the Province. Municpalities can no longer use bike lanes as a traffic calming measure or as a way of encouraging more active modes of travel. The Province’s push to build highway 413 caused massive changes to Brampton’s integrated development plan for Heritage Heights, destroying the complete street urban boulevard concept which could have been an economic and cultural focal point for the area.

Ministerial Zoning Order’s (MZO) are another power centralization factor that have now become the norm for pushing through contentious development projects. The Minister can use an MZO to override the wishes of a municipal council or the recommendations of staff. The Province has a track record of forcing municipalities into expanding their urban boundaries when it may make more sense to support higher housing density instead, thus preserving land for green space and agricultural uses.

The government is also disallowing muncipalities from including climate change policies in their official plans. Municipal governments can no longer impose higher building standards than what the Provincial building code specifies. Progressive councils who wish to hold their developers to a higher standard, such as incorporating green roofs or solar panels into building design no longer have that option.

Urban tree canopy within parkland greenspace is one of the defining characteristics of great cities. Yet changes to parkland dedication policies now allow developers more lattitude on what counts towards minimum parkland dedication requirements. This may lead to less parkland as a ratio of population, as cities across the Province continue growing. Building great cities does not seem to be a priority for this Provincial government, even though greenspace and tree canopy contributes significantly to health, quality of life and the ability of cities to adapt to climate change.

Most recently the Province is directing the Independent Electricity System Operator IESO to accommodate the needs of large power consumers, like AI data centres, potentially at the expense of standard ratepayers like you and me. This is yet another problem that this provincial government is creating for us. I will explore this further in a future article.

It’s hard for me not to take this personally. My wife Dayle and I started BikeBrampton 13 years ago to encourage the city to build an active transportation network that would offer a safe, convenient and relatively comfortable alternative to the car for short-distance trips. Until last week, it’s been slow but reasonably steady progress. Over the past decade or so, the city has created a subdepartment under planning for active transportation. It hired an active transportation specialist and supporting staff. An active transportation master plan was created and unanimously passed by Council in 2019. That plan outlined a connected network of pathways, sidewalks and bike lanes across the entire city that would be built out over 20 years.

The plan also outlined the compelling reasons why cycling must be an important element in the city’s long-term transportation strategy. The traffic demand management experts have done the calculations and determined we are in big trouble if the historical growth in the use of cars continues, particularly for single occupancy vehicles. As the city’s population tips over 1 million residents in the next few years, Brampton will not only run out of road space, it will run out of space to build roads unless a higher percentage of people choose transportation alternatives other than the personal automobile. Straight and simple. If we want to avoid traffic chaos and road related carnage both now and in the future, more people must choose transit, walking, cycling, and micro mobility for short-distance travel.

Encouraging people to walk, cycle or jump on transit starts with giving them the confidence that, if they choose a mode of travel other than the car, they can still get to their destinations, conveniently, and in relative safety and comfort. There are many aspects to what it takes to create this confidence. But table stakes is for the city to build a network that is as comprehensive as the existing road system while limiting interaction between motorists and vulnerable road users such as cyclists.

Sidewalks serve this purpose for pedestrians. They are physically separated from faster moving traffic and are reasonably comprehensive in allowing walkers to get from home to destinations that are maximum 1-2 km away. Adult cyclists cannot use sidewalks. For one thing it is illegal do so in Brampton. And sidewalks are not designed for bicycles travelling faster than about 12 kilometers an hour. Mixing pedestrians and fast-moving utilitarian cyclists is not a good idea. Safety becomes an issue on this type of facility the faster you go. For this reason, multi-use paths are also not a valid option for cyclists or e-scooters wanting to get somewhere quickly and conveniently.

Bicycles are allowed to use the road. But the speed variance between bicycles and cars leads to potential conflicts and safety issues. Depending on the speed and volume of traffic on the road, it also reduces the comfort level for cyclists meaning most people will not ride even if they want to.

Dedicated bicycle lanes provide a cost-effective and reasonably safe alternative. Installing a separated bicycle path in the boulevard can cost 5 to 50 times as much per kilometer compared to on-street bike lanes. And, bike lanes only need to be installed along certain roads of the network to provide key connectivity allowing cyclists to travel to virtually any part of the city in relative safety.

In 2020, just as COVID hit, the city introduced the “Streets for People” program which started in earnest to build out the network described in the active transportation master plan. Perhaps the most important connection in the plan is the east-west cycling corridor encompassing, Vodden, Howden, North Park, Central Parkway, and Cottrelle once the bridge across the Bayridge Valley is complete. This stretch of road midway between Queen and Bovaird runs almost the full width of the city. It uses collector roads that were historically “over-engineered” so that bike lanes could be used as a traffic calming measure to reduce speeding and aggressive driving behaviour. It connects the three major pathways that run north and south through Brampton’s rivers valleys. It also connects residential areas to literally hundreds of destinations, areas for recreation employment and commercial activities. This section of roadway is uniquely suited to act as the spine for active transportation across the city.

Unfortunately, change inevitably is met with resistance. Even though cycling usage has increased significantly in recent years, motorists still saw the bike lanes as being mostly empty. They became frustrated with the loss of road space for automobiles, There was particular frustration at intersections where there was no longer a dedicated lane for right-hand turners. With road construction on Williams and Dixie that encouraged more cut-through traffic along Howden, residents became increasingly upset. They demanded action

Last summer, Council directed staff to analyze several options. After conducting numerous public feedback sessions and reviewing the data, staff recommended an option that would maintain the bike lanes along most of the road section but move those lanes into the boulevard at the intersections allowing for dedicated right and left-hand turns for motorists. A cost-effective and reasonable compromise which would help alleviate resident concerns while still maintaining this key piece of infrastructure for cyclists.

Here is my frustration. With the exception of one, Council, fueled by the resident anger, determined they were not prepared to support this compromise, or any compromise for that matter. The only thing that would satisfy them was complete removal of this section of the Howden bike lanes, which threatens to render the active transportation master plan useless.

I started riding my bike primarily for environmental reasons. In Brampton, transportation represents the largest source of carbon emissions. I’m very concerned about climate change, (as should we all be). Dayle and I had taken the usual steps to reduce our carbon footprint, changing light-bulbs, increasing insulation, sealing doors and windows, etc. There are very few things that we as individuals can do to address the climate crisis. I was looking for more, and riding my bike to short-distance destinations seemed like a good way for me to help the planet while staying in shape at the same time.

Brampton has the potential to be bicycle friendly. We are a suburb yes, but we are also a city of close to a million people while enjoying extraordinary population growth. Most of our trips taken by car are less than 5km. Cycling changes the environmental fabric of the city. It allows us to grow up not out and in a healthier, less polluting way that connects to our communities and encourages support for local businesses.

It’s time we all decided what kind of city we want to live in, today and in the future. If you care about this issue, (and you should); if you care about your future and the future of your children, (and I’m sure you do), then write your councillors and tell them you support active transportation. Tell them you support bike lanes!

Do you believe in a cleaner, healthier, more environmentally sustainable Brampton?
Imagine a city where we can protect green spaces, reduce waste, promote healthier lifestyles, and work together on environmental solutions that matter?

Look no further, it’s…

Brampton Environmental Alliance!

 We want you to be a part of this initiative.
We are a community-wide network of people and organizations with a vision for Brampton to be a place that is environmentally, socially and economically resilient for everyone.

Why you should join

• Advocacy with Impact:
  Your voice contributes to a collective effort that advocates for key environmental priorities in our city, including clean water, zero waste, sustainable transportation, climate resiliency, and local biodiversity.
• Meaningful Events and Engagement :
  BEA organizes and supports community events and educational activities, from workshops and campaigns to local environmental celebrations, that raise awareness and bring people together
• Education and Shared Resources :
  Gain access to valuable environmental knowledge, tools, volunteer opportunities, and resources that will help you make even greater contributions locally
• Collaboration and Networking :
  Connections with like-minded residents, community groups, non-profits, and environmental leaders unlock new opportunities to learn, partner, and make change happen
• Grow your Reach:
  Whether you’re an individual, student, or organization, membership helps expand your capacity to impact Brampton’s sustainability journey through collective action

Your Membership Makes a Difference ,

• Add your voice to community-wide environmental advocacy campaigns
• Participate in shaping BEA priorities and actions
• Be part of a respected city-wide network that’s focused on driving real change
• Stay informed with newsletters and educational events
• Gain opportunities to volunteer
• Contribute to an organization that is 100% volunteer led and that contributes to the community on your behalf and on behalf of Brampton’s environmental sustainability

When we work together as a community, our impact grows stronger every day! Together we can:

1. Protect natural habitats and water resources
2. Promote sustainable living and community well-being
3. Build a legacy of environmental stewardship in Brampton

This is more than membership!! It’s your chance to be a part of the movement that’s shaping our future in the place where we live, work, and play.

 Join today!

The BEA has been fortunate to receive funding from the TRCA each year, since 2022, for delivery of projects within the Bramalea SNAP area. Cindy Evans has been the BEA lead for for the past 2 years. This year, however, the project was split in two with half the deliverables in 2025 and the rest to be delivered in 2026.

Cindy Evans is a tireless advocate for safer streets. When she isn’t practicing her art or music, Cindy loves riding her bicycle, not just in her Bramalea neighbourhood, but throughout the city. She has also cycled throughout Ontario and in Europe. She loves sharing her experience and expertise while giving back to her community. Cindy is a member of the Active Transportation Advisory Committee which provides advice and guidance to Brampton Council on issues related to human powered travel, primarily walking and cycling. She is also a member of BikeBrampton and the Brampton Environmental Alliance (BEA).

A focus area of Cindy’s project this year and next is to build on one of the SNAP goals -to encourage active transportation in the E, F and K sections of Bramalea while fostering a safe, connected community of students who ride their bikes to school.

Spring audits of Bramalea Secondary School and Earnscliffe Senior Public School demonstrated that, despite lack of on street cycling infrastructure, 28-32 secondary students and 17-19 middle school students were riding to school on a regular basis. Cindy’s project aimed at improving the safety of student and community bicycle riders.

She did this by first recruiting four youth leaders who were taught bike safety basics over 5 sessions in July and August with the help of experienced adult trainers. Next she organized a free bike repair pop-up at Bramalea Secondary School with the help of the Brampton Bike Hub operated by Punjabi Community Health Services (PCHS). There participants were shown how to do basic bike repair and maintenance.

Finally, with permission from the administration, she helped students at Earnscliffe start a Bike Club, . Helmets were distributed to those students without, (including customized helmets for Sikh boys donated by Bold Helmets a Brampton based manufacture of specialized helmets). Bells were installed, tires were inflated, and brakes checked on all student bikes at each of 4 Bike Club Meetings. Middle school bike club members were mentored, by the youth leaders, on bike skills and safety techniques. Each session ended with a short neighbourhood ride on trails and roads.

Bike Club 2025 ended in November with a route planning workshop using paper and Google maps. Students who attended 3 or more Bike Club sessions were given rechargeable rear lights upon completing a short paper questionnaire.

A benefit of this grant being split into two years is that the Bike Club will restart at the end of April 2026. Cindy plans to create bike repair and cycling events to encourage more students to safely experience the joys of riding to school and having fun with their neighbourhood friends.

Aneet and Rajbalinder talked about the importance of One-planet Living, the concept of staying within the Earth’s limitations in terms of resource extraction, managing waste, and living with each other in harmony.

The BEA has participated in several past events at this school and has found the students, parents and staff to all be engaging and interested in environmental issues and local environmental sustainability. This event lived up to expectations as families signed up to receive the BEA newsletter and committed to participate in BEA events.

TMU’s new School of Medicine, right here in Brampton, is Canada’s only medical school with a focus on community-based primary care, equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation. The Fair launched TMU’s Community-based Advocacy Project, (CAP). CAP has two goals,

• Address a community need with defined actions and evaluation,
• Contribute to a positive impact on an economic, social, cultural or environmental situation leading to improved health access and outcomes for equity-deserving groups.

Project teams consisting of four medical students will work over the next 12-14 months with selected community-based organizations on an educational and creative project that will address both these goals.

We’re honoured to be part of this milestone moment and look forward to collaborating with these bright future physicians as they take on real-world, community-based environmental advocacy throughout their studies!

#bramptonenvironmentalalliance#communityevents#tmu#schoolofmedicine#communityadvocacyproject#brampton

But, when cleaning and tightening doesn’t work, it can be a real challenge to discover which part is broken and where to find a replacement. Here I’ve had mixed results, depending on the manufacturer and the availability of YouTube repair videos and or service manuals and parts.

Case in point. A few years back, my uncle asked for help with his portable humidifier that had stopped working. I brought the unit home to my workbench. After some investigation and triage the problem turned out to be a small part at the bottom of the water well that I discovered is an ultrasonic nebulizer. No idea how to fix it so I looked for a replacement. The manufacturer was singularly unhelpful, listing the part as, “NOT USER REPLACEABLE”. Yet there I was with it in my hand. Parts like it sell for $7.00 on Amazon. But I couldn’t find one that matched the specifications I was looking for. So, in the end, after much time wasted, the broken unit went to landfill for the want of a $7.00 part. My uncle was forced into buying a replacement humidifier costing more than $200.

In recent years, the Repair Café movement has become a cornerstone of sustainability, waste reduction, and community empowerment worldwide. Its roots can be traced to Amsterdam in 2009, where Martine Postma established the first Repair Café. Her vision was a welcoming venue for people to fix broken household items, guided by volunteers eager to share their expertise. The model spread rapidly, inspiring communities globally to embrace repair culture, reducing waste and fostering resilience through shared knowledge.

At a recent Kitchener Repair Café, volunteers restored more than 30 household items in a single afternoon. The Toronto Tool Library and Repair Café regularly hosts events where volunteers help attendees fix broken toasters, smartphones, and laptops. Similarly, the Ottawa Repair Café has partnered with local environmental groups to repair small appliances and educate the public on the consequences of electronic waste.

A week ago, Saturday the Brampton Environmental Alliance hosted an information table in support of Eco-Caledon’s nineth annual Repair Café event at the Caledon East Community Centre. The Caledon event boasted more than a dozen volunteer “fixers” who were kept busy stitching clothes, sharpening knives, repairing bikes and fixing lamps, fans and other small appliances.

Repair Cafés exemplify the principles of the circular economy, which revolves around extending product lifecycles and minimizing waste. Unlike the conventional linear economy, based on production, use, and disposal, the circular economy emphasizes repair, reuse, and material recovery. By teaching hands-on repair skills, Repair Cafés divert countless items from landfills and nurture environmental stewardship. These initiatives also spotlight cases where a simple battery replacement or screen repair is impossible without proper instructions, tools, or proprietary parts, forcing consumers to discard otherwise functional devices.

Right to repair legislation is needed to give consumers more choice that will normalize the circular economy. The legislation would ensure that consumers and independent repair shops can access necessary parts, tools, and information to fix products, fighting back against planned obsolescence. This helps extend the life of products, reducing the environmental impact of discarded items. It also saves consumers money by allowing them to postpone or avoid buying new. This is particularly important in these tough economic times. It also creates opportunities for neighbourhood employment and keeps money in the local economy rather than paying for new products which are often manufactured outside Canada.

In Ontario, right to repair legislation has been proceeding at a snail’s pace. In 2019, Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament Michael Coteau introduced Bill 72, the “Consumer Protection Amendment Act (Right to Repair Electronic Products),” aiming to compel manufacturers to provide the necessary tools, parts, and documentation for repairs. That Bill was quashed by the Conservative Government shortly after it came to power in 2019. An updated version of the Bill was reintroduced to the Provincial legislature in April 2024 as a private members bill. It’s still waiting to pass second reading. Meanwhile, this government has shown expediency in passing other pieces of legislation in a matter of days or weeks to address important issues like banning speed cameras and bike lanes while foisting more of the costs of growth on the backs of existing ratepayers, all in the name of building more “affordable housing”.

Let us know what you think. Where should the BEA be focusing its efforts in on this topic? What has your experience been with products that fail prematurely and are difficult to repair.

With increasing popularity, we are looking for opportunities to host our own Repair Cafés and other events such as clothing swaps, tool libraries and computer Windows 10 to Linux conversion sessions. Let us know if you have a Windows 10 machine that is now obsolete because it can’t be upgraded to Windows 11.

We will also be pushing the province for legislation that will support right to repair, and combat planned obsolescence. Together, let’s make it easier to extend the useful life of existing products.

Are you good at fixing things? Want to help out by being a Repair Café fixer? Join the Brampton Library Repair Café Fixer Team. Fixer Registration Form

On Saturday September 20th thousands attended Draw the Line events across the country. Protests were organized to draw attention to the lack of climate action being taken by our civic leaders, and to highlight the impact this inaction will have, particularly on vulnerable sectors of our population.

Protestors showed up in in large cities such as Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. They also participated in impressive numbers in smaller centres including Peterborough, Kingston, Ottawa, Niagara, and Georgetown Ontario, Charlottetown PEI, and Kimberly B.C.. Draw the line events in Edmonton and Calgary, the heart of Canadian oil country, also drew large numbers of rally participants. (image above from the Edmonton event)

Tens of thousands of Canadians have been displaced from their homes in 2025, the result of climate related events such as wild fires and floods. Many more are currently being affected by unprecedented wet or dry conditions in varying parts of the country, impacting farm production and profits, and affecting food availability and affordability.

Despite these events and the climate scientists’ warnings that the situation will only get worse, both our Federal and Provincial governments continue focusing on economic growth that includes subsidies, encouragement and support for Canadian fossil fuel production and distribution while winding down or dismantling carbon reduction incentives. How, in any universe, does this make sense?

Victoria

Calgary

Peterborough

Georgetown

Members of the Brampton Environmental Alliance participated in the Georgetown Draw the Line event organized by Halton Hills Climate Action.

Charlottetown

This past Thursday, July 24th, 3 members of our BEA board, including David Laing, Aneet Sandhu & Yarim Hinojosa, gave a presentation to the Knightsbridge Association in Brampton. 

This presentation showed the benefits of proper recycling, waste management, composting and the benefits of eating more plants and how proper diversion of waste can help the region of Peel reach its waste diversion targets. 

Did you know? The Peel Region has set a target to divert 70% of all waste away from landfill by 2036. Currently it sits at 50% and diverting more green bin waste would go a long way in helping the Region achieve their target.

Aneet shared best practices for recycling and composting, as well as case studies showing how buildings are implementing their composting programs and resulting in success in reducing smell and waste diversion goals. 

Did you know?  The 1,000-ton rule states that a person is killed every time humanity burns 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide. (Pearce, Western University)

Several points of advocacy to discuss with building property managers were suggested, such as lobbying for more collection points (i.e., mini green bin stations on each floor or closer to exits) and requesting regular cleaning of disposal zones.

Aneet talked about the goals of the BEA and our work and shared online resources such as https://peelregion.ca/waste/sorter

In addition, we addressed the attendees’ common questions and concerns and shared great advice, such as the option of putting the compost bag in the fridge or freezer to reduce smell, among other tips.

In addition to recycling and composting best practices, Yarim highlighted the great benefits of eating more plants for health benefits & how it can help with waste diversion.

Did you know? The majority of food system emissions come from animal agriculture.

Animal agriculture is responsible for around a third of methane emissions, so plant-based diets are critical to our future survival on this planet.

Lead reviewer for IPCC Working Group 1: Durwood Zaelke believes that cuts to methane are our best hope of limiting temperature rises over the next 20 years. 

Yarim also gave great tips on how to use and reuse all parts of vegetables, such as onions, by using parts to cook with, the base or root to regrow it ( free scallions!), and even the onion peels to create a natural fabric dye. 

David talked about the BEA, the One Planet Framework and the importance of protecting and advocating for our environment in order to ensure everyone in Brampton has the best quality of life.

The Brampton Environmental Alliance or “BEA” is a Brampton-wide network of organizations, community groups and individuals that envision Brampton growing as a sustainable community, one that is healthy and resilient environmentally, socially and economically.

The BEA believes in and supports the ONE PLANET living framework, ten simple principles that cover all aspects of social, environmental and economic sustainability in addition to endorsing the Plant Based Treaty as one of many effective tools in the city of Brampton’s toolkit to help it reach its Climate goals.

Brampton is a growing city, and environmental policy must be a priority to ensure a liveable & prosperous Brampton for all its people and nature.  

We encouraged attendees to join the BEA and be part of our initiatives and programs in making what we do and how people can get involved. In addition inspired attendees to take part and take the One Planet Framework and encouraged attendees to take the pledge. 

In addition, we had two delightful and interactive activities. The first one was a fun ( and competitive) “Waste Sorting” activity. Yarim briefed everyone in detail about the different sorting categories, and then attendees were divided into teams. Each team raced against the clock to sort waste items into their correct categories! 

and finally, the event closed with a Kale seed planting and a flower pot painting activity using recycled aluminium cans to celebrate #Plasticfreejune!

We also distributed recipe cards and colouring pages from our friends Plant Powered for The Earth.

Our presentation aimed to inspire attendees to properly sort their waste and recycling, and to eat more plants, compost, and the One Planet Framework to help reduce their waste, carbon footprint, improve their health, as well as help the Region of Peel achieve its goal of waste diversion earlier than the proposed date of  2036.

If you would like us to give this presentation at your event, institution, organization or to your group, please contact us!

Most Ontarians were not even aware of the government’s intention. The speed at which these bills were rammed through the legislature is nothing short of breathtaking, with next to no committee discussion or public consultation. Bill 5 was first introduced on April 17th and Bill 17 passed first reading on May 12th. Both bills were declared law by Royal Assent this past Thursday before the legislature adjourned until October.

Called omnibus bills, these legislative tools are large complex and far reaching. They limit the powers of municipalities, to make independent land use decisions, to protect important natural heritage features, and to implement sustainable development guidelines that will help our communities to both mitigate against the worst effects of climate change and adapt to those effects that we cannot avoid.

The main purpose of the legislation is to encourage developers to build new and affordable housing faster than they would otherwise. It does so, however, by putting the costs of providing services for those new homes on the backs of existing homeowners. It does this by deferring or eliminating development charges which the municipalities rely on to pay for building schools, recreation centres, roads, parks, etc.

I wrote an article a couple of weeks ago outlining the major problems with Bill 5. Below is a letter I wrote to my MPP Graham McGregor outlining my concerns with Bill 17. If you believe as I do that Bill 5 and Bill 17 are not the way to get more and affordable homes built, I hope you will take the time to let your MPP know how you feel and that you expect them to alter these pieces of legislation before they are allowed to damage our plan for a sustainable future.

Letter dated June 3, 2025.
To: Honourable Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism and MPP for Brampton North.

“Dear Minister McGregor,

I find myself once again in the unfortunate position of writing to you about a piece of legislation which, if passed will be egregiously damaging to municipal plans to protect our environment. I’m talking about Bill 17, Protect Ontario by Building Smarter and Faster Act, 2025. I am alarmed that Bill 17 is being fast-tracked without debate and that it attacks municipal decision-making powers.  I am particularly concerned that the Bill will threaten the ability of municipalities to continue to use Green Development Standards to ensure that new homes are safe, weather-proof, energy efficient, and more affordable to operate. Construction methods have been quickly evolving, and Ontario’s building code has fallen behind the times. Forward thinking municipalities, like Brampton, are filling the gaps so that new homes are built using modern technologies to withstand extreme weather conditions, while improving energy efficiency and facilitating low-carbon options such as electric vehicle charging, and efficient, clean heating systems.

As a case in point, this past November my wife Dayle and I received an amber alert type message on our phone at 2:00am indicating the presence of a tornado in the vicinity of our home! It didn’t wake me; I was already awake because of the roar of the wind outside. While vicious storms in November have historically been the norm, a late fall tornado in southern Ontario is not. There should be no question that the severity of weather events in our area is increasing due to climate change along with the probability of significant property damage. Our governments, at both the municipal and provincial level, have the power to implement policies that will either mitigate or exacerbate the risks. I’m disappointed that the province has chosen the latter approach in the interests of meeting short-term objectives that are driven by ideological rather than evidence-based factors.

If needed, I can provide you with the fact-based arguments as to why Green Development Standards at the municipal level will not impact speed or affordability of housing starts but will improve home efficiencies and reduce operating costs, increasing home affordability for years to come. I would ask you to please raise these issues in your Provincial caucus meetings and let your Premier know that he will be on the wrong side of history if Bill 17 and Bill 5 pass without major modifications.

Thanks for your time and interest.

Sincerely,

David Laing, L6Z 2A1

David Laing – President, Brampton Environmental Alliance https://bramptonea.org