City of Cambridge responds to province's threat over Blair MZO
A saga involving a controversial warehouse project in the village of Blair has taken another turn.
The City of Cambridge was given a deadline by the province to conduct proper community consultation for the Minister's Zoning Order. The city obliged, but some residents are still not happy.
In April of this year, Cambridge city council endorsed the MZO for the one-million square foot warehouse and logistics distribution centre at Dickie Settlement Road, near Hwy. 401. The province gave it the green light in August.
At the end of October, Steve Clark, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, sent a letter to the City of Cambridge, threatening to bow out of the MZO if meaningful consolation was not proven.
"I am therefore requesting that you provide an update to my Ministry by November 30, 2021 or I will have no choice but to consider commencing the process to revoke the MZO," the letter reads in part.
Cambridge Mayor Kathryn McGarry remains firm on her stance that the city has followed through.
“The requirement for meaningful consultation engagement has already been met,” she said.
Both Blair Engaged, a group that has been fighting the project, and its lawyer said the mayor is being misleading to the province.
“It’s a shocking betrayal of local residents and first Nations,” said David Donnelly, the group's lawyer. “If the MZO doesn’t get rescinded, this is a potential MZO from hell."
“400 additional transport trucks per day [are going to be going] through the site,” said Alan Van Norman from Blair Engaged.
The City of Cambridge confirmed their letter was sent to the province before the Nov. 30 deadline.
“The site plan application came in on Nov. 10 and our city has forwarded the site plan application to our Six Nations in Mississauga of the Credit First Nations,” said McGarry.
The community says they do not count that as community consultation.
“Except the publishing of 1,000 or so pages on the cities website, but that’s not consultation that she’s publishing a bunch of documents related to a future site plan,” said Donnelly.
“A letter will be sent to the Mayor of Cambridge soon advising her that no adequate consultation with Six Nations has been done,” Lonny Bomberry, The Six Nations Lands and Resources Director, said in a statement to CTV News.
The mayor of Cambridge said there will also be a Traffic Impact Study and Heritage Impact Assessment presented to council that will be open for delegations, but no specific date was given.
A spokesperson for Minister Clark's office confirmed to CTV News they are reviewing the letter from the Mayor of Cambridge.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.