Jeff Mole proposes a number of community enterprise environmental pilot projects in Parry Sound and Muskoka. These projects will create local jobs, local economic development and make our region a leader in environmental protection.
COLLECTION OF USED TIRES
We are about to face a hugeand expensive problem in dealing with used tires. In 2017 the Ontario Government announced it would shut down Ontario Tire Stewardship by the end of this year.
In March 2018 it was reported that Parry Sound Mayor said the following:
“Because you know where those tires are going to end up? They’re going to end up in ditches, in the bush somewhere — people are just going to dump them and scatter them all over the place,” McGarvey said. “I think to be proactive about this too, we should bring something forward that there really needs to be something done and send it to the province of Ontario as well.”
To be proactive Jeff will bring forward a proposal for development of a network of locally controlled community enterprises to operate this sector rather than creating bigger government or giving government handouts to private companies to deliver this service and rather than increase the cost to the consumers through expensive manufacturer programs.
EXPANSION OF PROPANE FUELING & CONVERSION OF VEHICLES
Driving a converted propane/gasoline vehicle can make life more affordable by reducing fuel costs by about 50%. In addition, propane is significantly better for the environment than gasoline or diesel.
The drawback is that there are not enough trained mechanics to convert and maintain these vehicles, there are not enough refueling facilities and existing facilities charge too much for propane because they can since there is not enough competition in the market.
Jeff proposes has a plan for development of a network of locally controlled community enterprises to expand the propane for vehicles in Ontario starting in Parry Sound and Muskoka.
ERADICATION OF INVASIVE SPECIES
We are experiencing a huge problem with our inability to safely and responsibly eradicate Phragmites, Buckthorn Weeds, Japenese Knotweed and other invasive species. To protect our environment, Jeff proposes outsourcing development of eradication programs to the community enterprise sector rather than creating bigger government or giving government handouts to private companies to develop this expertise.
PROTECTING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THE BENEFIT OF ONTARIANS
Ontario is rich in natural resources both above an below ground. Jeff believes we do a terrible job of ensuring the citizens of Ontario benefit from these riches. He feels if we stay on the current path more of these benefits will be secured by multinationals and private investors that privatize the economic benefits but socialize the economic and environmental risks. Jeff proposes a greater emphasis on sensible development of nature resources by community enterprise instead of privateers and multinational corporations.
Example:
Nestle takes Ontario water for bottling pays very little and impacts community use.
Chinese and India companies take over forestry and mining assets at an alarming rate.
Ontario privatized 87 waterfalls and crown land for energy projects with little benefit.
Farmland is paved over so farmers can cash in on real estate boom.
A large swath of public land is being sold to developers for more housing.
COLLECTION OF E-waste
We are about to face an Electronic Waste Tsunami -Obsolete televisions, Smart phones, Computers and other electronic gadgets are being discarded at an alarming rate. Chinese processors are no longer accepting these materials. Now we need a better solution for recycling these materials to protect our environment from the poisons contained in these items.
Jeff will bring forward a proposal for development of an efficient network of locally controlled community enterprises to operate this sector. This could be more cost effective than creating bigger government or giving government handouts to private companies to deliver this service and at a lower cost to the consumers than expensive and piecemeal manufacturer run programs.
Intervenor Act
The Environmental Assessment process is broken. This was acknowledged in the October 2008 Environmental Protection Report by Ontario's Environmental Commissioner GETTING TO K(NO)W - LITTLE HAS CHANGED since he authored these words. "There have been many occasions where affected people have dedicated tremendous time and effort to the consultation process, in the sincere belief that their rational arguments could change or stop the proposed undertaking, only to have their expectations dashed when the project was approved unchanged. Despite all their work – participating in a process that will hear, but still ignore, their arguments – they discover that it can be impossible to get to a “No” outcome. This is very damaging to the credibility of environmental approval processes. It alienates the people in society who can speak for the integrity of our decision making systems. It encourages those who reject participatory processes
and endorse less constructive and more costly strategies, such as litigation or civil disobedience, as a mechanism of public decision making.
To be legitimate, an approval process must be able to reach a decision not to proceed. I’m not saying that this should be a common outcome. Quite the contrary, one would expect that the vast majority of proposed undertakings would be well-designed and well-considered, even before they reach the public consultation stage, so as to be likely candidates for approval. But, in a valid and meaningful consultation process, we would expect that sometimes rational arguments or contrasting societal value systems would and should lead to a “No”. Without that possibility, there is no value in consultation."
Jeff will bring forward a Private Members Bill for an Intervenor Act. This Act would be a cost effective measure to require that developers/proponents underwrite the costs of citizens who choose to get involved to protect the public interest and the environment.
