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.

BEA Board members David and Dayle Laing, along with BEA member Cindy Evans visited MP Sonia Sidhu at her Parliamentary Office on Wednesday June 19th. Topics discussed included the status of the Active Transportation Fund, the New Horizons for Seniors grant program and general concerns about current government policy regarding the environment.

Active Transportation Fund

Beginning in 2026-2027, the Government of Canada is investing in permanent public transit programming under the Canada Public Transit Fund to support transit in communities of all sizes across Canada. This includes targeted funding for specific types of public transit and active transportation projects ranging from capital to planning.

Established in 2021, the Active Transportation Fund earmarked $400M to be spent over 5 years to support the expansion and enhancement of active transportation infrastructure, to make travel by active transportation easier, safer, more convenient and more enjoyable. According to Velo Canada Bikes, a national cycling advocacy organization, very little of that money has been spent since program inception.. In 2023, Brampton submitted 2 “shovel ready projects” to the fund. This included infrastructure repairs to pedestrian bridges throughout the city and the construction of multi-use paths along Westcreek, Advance, and Alfred Khune Blvds. Most of the work on both projects has been completed but funds could now be allocated to other active transportation projects including infrastructure on Howden and Charolais where bike lanes either have or a destined to be removed. MP Sidhu asked for more details and committed to help Brampton secure federal funds for active tranportation projects in her riding of Brampton South.

New Horizons for Seniors grant

The New Horizons for Seniors is a federal grant program to support projects that are designed by seniors and for seniors in their communities. The program is designed to engage seniors in volunteer activities, mentor others, create community and support new and existing community projects aimed at seniors. The BEA is working on a grant submission for 2027 that will provide edcuational opportunities for seniors in climate adaptation, and healthy aging. More details will be provided in the coming months. MP Sidhu committed to providing a letter of support for the BEA proposed project.

Government of Canada Environmental Policy

Finally, the visit with MP Sidhu was an opportunity for the BEA to express concern about the Federal government’s position on increasing fossil fuel production and streamlining big projects at the expense of environmental controls. MP Sidhu listened to our concerns and reiterated the government’s position on the importance of the environment to long-term growth and economic stability.

All in all it was a good meeting that accomplished BEA objectives. We thank MP Sidhu for her time and attention.

Climate Change Award, Individual: Julius Lindsay
Stewardship Award, Individual: Jeya Thavachandren
Stewardship Award, Business/Organization: The Food Quotient
Environmental Youth Award: Human Nature Projects Canada
Environmental Legacy Award: Pauline Thornham

Amisha Moorjani, was recognized as owner of The Food Quotient a catering business focused on preparing healthy meals in an environmentally sustainable way. The business buys from local food sources and uses reuseable packaging wherever possible.

Amisha is member of the Brampton Environment Advisory Committee. She became a BEA Board member in 2024 and has been an active contributor to various BEA projects and events. She has recently taken on the role of BEA Community Outreach Coordinator to help bring organizations together in the common goal of having Brampton grow as an environmentally sustainable city.

Polly Thornham was recognized for her outstanding environmental work over many years. She is an active member of Sierra Club, BikeBrampton, and the Green Party of Ontario. She has run as a Green Party candidate at both the Provincial and Federal level. She is a past member of the Brampton Environmental Advisory Committee and the Brampton Active Transportation Advisory Committee. Polly joined the BEA Board in 2024 and is a tireless contributor to BEA projects and events.

The BEA congratulates all of the Brampton Grow Green Environmental Award winners for 2026!

• Arbitrarily compress all federal decision-making for major projects into an one-year timeline, without specifying which types of “major projects” will receive this preferential treatment
• Wholly exempt major projects regulated by the Canadian Energy Regulator (i.e. international/interprovincial pipelines and electricity transmission lines) from the current legal requirement to undergo rigorous impact assessments under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA)
• Empower the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to conduct impact assessments of nuclear and uranium projects under the IAA, and to determine whether such projects would cause significant negative federal effects. This would effectively sideline the Impact Assessment Act for these types of projects, relying instead on the CNSC to carry out robust, credible, and participatory impact assessments of nuclear projects, and make final determinations about whether such projects may cause significant adverse effects that cannot be mitigated.
• Enact new legislation to establish “Federal Economic Zones” through regional assessments which would oust the requirement for project-level assessments for a broad range of “pre-approved” infrastructure and industrial development in such zones
• Eviscerate current federal permitting regimes in relation to navigation, ocean dumping, fish and fish habitat, and exempt major projects from the critically important provision in the Species at Risk Act which prohibits the federal Minister from issuing permits for activities that may jeopardize the survival or recovery of species at risk (i.e. orcas)
• Allow unspecified early construction activities for major projects to occur well before an impact assessment decision has been made to approve or reject the project.

The BEA Board approved the following position statement in response to the Government of Canada’s proposal.

My name is David Laing. I am 74 years old and have been living in Brampton Ontario for close to 50 years. I am also the President of the Brampton Environmental Alliance, and I am writing this submission both on my own behalf as well as that of the Alliance. After reviewing the “Getting Major Projects Built in Canada” discussion paper I have grave concerns about the direction being taken by the Government of Canada as outlined therein.

I have lived long enough to experience a time before there were robust environmental protection regulations in Canada, particularly in Ontario, when Lake Erie was considered to be a “dead lake” with no oxygen to support aquatic life, when Lake Ontario was so polluted that water activities such as swimming and paddleboarding in the Lake were considered unthinkable, when toxic effluent floating on the Don River was so concentrated that it actually caught fire on more than one occasion. If enacted, I fear that the proposals in this discussion paper will be taking us back to those times, of the environmental wild west in the name of economic growth. Surely there must be a better way for Canadians to address the threats to our national sovereignty than to destroy the very essence of what makes Canada great.

The purpose of having environmental regulations is to allow governments to make challenging decisions about which parts of our environment should be saved or destroyed based on scientific evidence and expert analysis. Their purpose shouldn’t be to merely slow down project implementation but to decide if a project should proceed or not. That analysis may take a year, or it may take 10 depending on project complexity and how much is known about the impact on affected eco-systems. Some projects simply shouldn’t be built because of the level of damage they will cause, no matter how much economic growth potential they promise. Do we really want to put the fate of Canada’s natural heritage assets in the hands of politicians who are almost always driven by 4- or 5-year election cycles and are prone to populist pressures? We think not.

Making decisions that cause environmental destruction must be carried out with the utmost care and with as much knowledge as possible. The stakes are very high, and the likelihood of “unintended consequences” is significant. We must be conscious of the fact that, once an ecosystem is destroyed, it is gone for decades, once a species is extinct, it is gone forever.

For environmental regulations to be truly effective, they must act more like a constitutional framework, representing the fundamental values of the country and its citizens. Support for the environment cannot be viewed as a “fashion statement”, in favour today, and out of favour tomorrow or next year. We must find out from Canadians what aspects of Canada they hold truly dear. The unique aspects of this country, such as the Salish Sea Orca, the rich aquatic eco-systems of the Douglas Channel and the eco-system services provided by the peat bogs of Northern Ontario, to name but a few. Only then can we truly know what should be saved and what can be sacrificed in the name of economic growth.

Accordingly, the BEA supports CELA’s position that being to, “immediately withdraw the ill-conceived Discussion Paper proposals which, if implemented, would constitute the most significant rollback of federal environmental laws in recent decades”. Like CELA, members of the BEA do not oppose economic activity, good jobs, or sustainable resource management.

As inspiration, I recommend that the Government look to the Haida Nation with the sustainable practices they have implemented with their vast wealth of forest, fish, and minerals, and the excellent relationships they have established with the B.C. Government as well as the various extraction industries. The Haida have managed to find that delicate balance, where the environment and the economy support each other helping to ensure the health of current and future generations by not repeating the mistakes of the past. I believe that most Canadians want what we want, economic prosperity in the context of strong(er) environmental protections, ensuring that, what we hold dear about Canada, will last forever.

David Laing – President, Brampton Environmental Alliance

https://bramptonea.org 416-402-3778

What if your front yard, backyard, or boulevard could become a haven for bees, butterflies, and the plants that sustain them — right here in Brampton?

​Join us for a guided walk and talk at Dorchester Park with a representative from the Friends and Stewards of Dorchester Park — a passionate group of neighbours who have been quietly transforming this green space, one native plant at a time.

​This guided, interactive outdoor walk is designed to connect residents with real, local climate action happening right in our community. At each stop along the route, you’ll hear short talks, stories, and see firsthand demonstrations of what community-led environmental stewardship looks like on the ground.

​You’ll discover:

•  ​Which native plants and pollinators call Brampton home
• ​What the neighbours have planted and nurtured at Dorchester Park — and why it matters for local biodiversity and climate resilience
• ​Simple, practical ways you can bring this work into your own neighbourhood

​Whether you have a balcony, a backyard, or a patch of sidewalk garden, this walk will leave you inspired and equipped to take action where you live.

​The event is open to all residents, families, and youth — anyone curious about climate action in a local context is welcome.

​Light refreshments will be provided.

​A few things to know before you come:

• ​ This is a rain or shine event — dress for the weather!
• ​ Please bring your own water bottle
• ​ Pre-registration is required — space is limited to 20 attendees

Pollinators are essential to healthy ecosystems, food production, biodiversity, and climate resilience across Ontario. Creating pollinator gardens with native plants and installing bee hotels are simple but powerful ways communities can support declining native bee populations while helping mitigate climate change through healthier urban ecosystems.

Recently, Brampton Environmental Alliance partnered with Plant Powered for the Earth to bring a Bee Habitat Program called “ Pollinator Habitat Protectors” to W.G. Davis Senior Public School. Students participated in a hands-on seminar and workshop about the importance of native plants and pollinators, and decorated six bee hotels built and provided to the school by both organizations to help enhance the school’s pollinator garden and provide a habitat for solitary bee pollinators.

The workshop was facilitated by environmental educator Yarim Hinojosa to the school’s grade 7 students and Eco Club. The goal was to inspire and empower the students by teaching them all about native pollinators and pollinator-loving plants of Ontario, how to protect pollinators and their habitats and the advantages of bee hotels.

The workshop had the indigenous perspective or approach called “two-eyed seeing” (Etuaptmumk) as a guiding principle. Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshal originally introduced this approach and it advocates for looking at the world with one eye using the strengths of Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing, and with the other eye using the strengths of Western knowledge and methods. We used this approach to help the students better understand the importance of native pollinator animals and native plants in Ontario.

One example that was shared was the indigenous perspective of reciprocity and connection between plants and bees proposed by Robin Wall Kimmerer, who is a plant scientist, poet, member of the Potawatomi Nation, mother, and student of Native American stories and traditions.

In her book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, Robin Wall Kimmerer says “while beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, she says, science also tells us that the two colors of purple asters and yellow goldenrod, having reciprocal colors in human and bee eyes and growing together, attract a greater number of pollinators than either would growing alone, therefore leading to better plant success.”

The students learned about botany, biology and ecology, as well as how to identify and grow native plants that attract native bees and butterfly pollinator animals in Ontario. There was a special spotlight on the plants that will be grown in the school’s brand new pollinator garden. These plants include bee-attracting specimens like Smooth Blue Aster, Oxeye ( pictured above with a green female Sweat Bee), Pearly Everlasting, Mountain Mint, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Blue Lobelia among others.

The students also learned about the botany and ecology of butterfly-attracting plants like Wild Columbine, Purple Coneflower, Cardinal Flower, Butterfly Milkweed (Pictured above with a Monarch Butterfly), Hairy Beardtongue, Dense Blazing Star, Dense Blazing Star, Smooth Blue Aster, among others.

Did you know? Milkweeds are larval host plants for monarchs, which are a native species to Ontario. Increased plantings of these wildflowers will help populations of these regal butterflies in their efforts to make their grand migrations, a phenomenon which is in peril.

The students also learned about the challenges that native bee species face in Ontario, such as pesticide use, destruction of habitat and competition with non native species and actionable ways to help.

Did you know? A study by the University of Toronto suggests that non native species, including honey bees, which are an introduced species, are affecting Ontario’s native solitary Mason bee population.

The students were amazed to learn about the ecology of native solitary bee species, which many had never seen or heard about. This is not surprising as most media, illustrations and advertising portray bees mostly as “honey bee-looking”. They quickly became aware of the importance of learning about the various kinds of native bees in Ontario to protect them. Some of these beautiful, solitary species native to Ontario include those in the Osmia genus (Typical Mason Bees / Orchard Bees) and the Megachile genus (Leaf-cutter bees )

Osmia lignaria (Blue Orchard Mason Bee) – The most well-known native mason bee, metallic blue-black, and a highly efficient early-spring pollinator.

Megachile latimanus: A large, widely distributed, and extremely common leafcutter species.

Native bees face many challenges, but part of the solution, besides awareness and education, is protecting and providing habitat. The ideal habitat is a natural habitat, in urban areas, without pollinator gardens or plants; the students learned that humans can offer shelters or structures like bee hotels.

Everyone in attendance was inspired to plant more native plants in their homes, balconies, and communities that attract pollinators. We also showed them the benefits of providing solitary bees a “bee hotel” as habitat for their pollinator garden, which will provide native solitary bees a home near the school’s pollinator garden.

The workshop ended by having the students paint the outside of six bee hotels with colors which bees are attracted the most such as blue and yellow. These bee hotels were designed and built as a collaboration by the BEA and Plant Powered for the Earth, and donated to the school to enhance their pollinator garden.

The students also shared what they learned, and everyone expressed genuine interest, shared responsibility and excitement to help protect pollinators and native plants in their school and monitor the lifecycle of bees visiting their bee hotels.

The workshop and program will include ongoing monitoring by the BEA and Plant Powered for the Earth in collaboration with WG Davis SS of the bee hotels and their full lifecycle. The goal is to introduce students to hands-on environmental education and citizen science while helping support native solitary bee populations, encouraging the planting of pollinator gardens for biodiversity, food security and to mitigate the impact of climate change in Brampton.

Programs like this help advance local pollinator habitat goals, encourage the planting of native gardens, strengthen biodiversity, and contribute to climate action by creating greener, more sustainable communities.

If schools, organizations, or community groups are interested in bringing this Bee Habitat Program to their school or institution, please contact us, we would love to collaborate.

info@bramptonea.org

contact@plantpoweredfortheearth.org

These are important questions that our BEA team is aiming to answer at an upcoming interactive workshop on Thursday, June 04, 2026. There you will learn why it is important to separate your waste, how to dispose of it in a way that has the least environmental impact, and how discarded material, like an old yogurt container, eventually become new packaging again.

As part of Toronto Climate Week, the Brampton Environmental Alliance is hosting a What Really Happens to Your Recycling? community workshop

Date: Thursday, June 04, 2026
Time: 06:30 PM – 08:00 PM
Location: Paul Palleschi Recreation Centre, Room 2

This workshop will be an opportunity to have a practical, non-technical and interactive conversation about how Ontario’s recycling system is changing, what happens behind the scenes, and why it matters more than most people realize.

The BEA team will be joined by Arjun Krishan, Manager at EFS Plastics, who will walk through the process of how post-consumer recycled materials are transformed into new packaging products righthere in Canada, supporting the circular economy and generating great Canadian jobs.

Whether you’re deeply involved in sustainability or recycling at home and curious about where it all goes — this workshop is for you. We look forward to seeing you there!

After introductions I started each session by explaining the ecosystem services that trees provide. Trees help to keep our cities cool during increasingly hot summer months. They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen that all animals, including humans, need to breathe. They help to slow down winter winds keeping our cities warmer during the colder months. They provide habitat for urban wildlife, And, finally trees are beautiful to look at. They provide city – dwellers an opportunity to engage with nature which has been shown to improve both physical and mental health.

Alice Casselman, ACER’s President instructed students on the use of tools used to measure tree height, trunk diameter and the volume of the tree crown, (the area covered by branches and leaves). The students also learned to identify tree species, and common diseases affecting tree health. They received instruction on proper mulching techniques to ensure that the ground around the tree trunk stays moist while preventing trunk mold growth and protecting delicate roots.

The students then went out to the planting areas to perform the measurement tasks, record the results on their data sheets, and spread city provided mulch around each tree as required.

Over 100 trees were measured over the two days and over 200 trees received mulch.

Brampton’s Forestry Department will receive the collected data and use it to help inform the city’s urban forest management plan.

It seems a good time was had by all.

The database is searchable by Councillor, specific item, and category

The summary chart below is captured from the database. It shows the relative volume of decisions in categories related to transportation, land-use, energy management, waste management including air & water quality, and protection of nature. It shows the number of decisions by year. It also ranks the Councillors based on the number of negative votes. Negative votes can be either a NO vote against positive climate policy or a YES vote on a decision that is damaging for the environment.

What we’ve discovered so far:

• Most Council votes are either Carried or Lost rather than recorded by individual Councillor. This reduces transparency because it is more challenging to see individual Councillors’ positions.
• Many motions are bundled into Consent Agenda. This limits debate on issues and again reduces transparency and accountability.
• Disconnect between broad policy and specific motions. Often Council will vote in favour of a strategic plan but then against specific actions that support that plan. An example would be a land-use plan that defines areas destined to be higher density but then Council votes no to a specific proposal that conforms to that density guideline.

What you can do?

The municipal election is coming this October. We have an opportunity to make the environment and climate part of the election discussion.

• Raise Awareness – Share the Climate Voting Records Site
• Review Council Voting Records on Environmental Issues
• Support Policies that Prioritize Climate & Community Health
• Ask your Councillor about their environmental voting record to show you care.
• When a candidate comes knocking, ask them what they will do to help Brampton mitigate climate change and adapt to the changes that are coming.
• Help us Advocate for transparent decision-making and more recorded votes for the new Council term 2026-2030