IMPRINT,
Friday, September
NEWS
29, 1995
11
WPIRG
Waterloo Public Interest Research Group General Room
Planning
to Reform
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he laws and policies that guide land use planning and development in Ontario are about to undergo yet another govemnlcnt review. The Planning Act, the major statute dealing with urban and rural planning, will be scrutinizedover the next few months by officials from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, under direction from the Harris government. In fact, the process has already begun, although the public has not yet been consulted. In a meeting last week, Al Leach, the Minister of Muncipal Affairs, indicated a small committee will be set up to look at the Act and recommend changes. The recommendations will then brought before Cabinet to be tabled before the Legislature next year. This is not the first time the Act has been reviewed. The Planning Act was the subject of an extensive 4 year review that ended last year with the proclamation of Bill 163 and a new set of policy statements by the NDP government of the day. That review, guided by the Sewell Commission on Planning and Development Reform, and later by bureaucrats from the MMA, saw thousands of stakeholders providing comments on how to improve the state of planning in Ontario.
by Adaeze Chizoba Orizu Students Advising Co-op special to Imprint
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f you are a co-op student at the University of Waterloo, SAC has many wonderful issues planned this semester. SAC stands for “Students Advising Co-op” and was established to identify issues affecting co-op students, and to work together with the co-op department to try and resolve these issues. As a result of the survey compiled last year, there were five major areas of concern for students. SAC under the supervision of Gerald Kirk began exploring these issues in the summer term and we will continue to explore these issues further this semester, The five major areas of concern are as follows: Communication between the co-op department and students;
New
reyhound Lines of Canada announces a New Wniversity Route designed to save students time and money when travelling in Southern Ontario. The service offers both eastbound and westbound travel on weekends connecting Ottawa, Peterborough, Kitchener/Waterloo, Guelph and London via Toronto’s York Uni-
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Coordinator Issues: coordinator evaluations, return-to-campus interviews, on-site work visits; Co-op fee; Work reports; and Educating students about the co-op system and structure. SAC meetings are held biweekly on Mondays at 4: 3I)p. m, in Room 229 of the Student Life Centre. At each meeting there is a representative from the Co-op department. This term our staff advisor is Olaf Naesse. He acts as the liason between SAC and the co-op department. Also, he gives an update of the recent changes in the co-op system which we then relay to the student body. This term SAC will be run through committees and subcommittees. For instance, each committee will consist of a group of individuals which will focus on
versity. Students travelling from the University of Waterloo or Wilfrid University University to Toronto, Ottawa or Peterborough can take advantage oftie new service, which is available on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. The overall travel time is reduced since the route bypasses Toronto’s downtown core by dropping students off at York University. But if you’re looking to go
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Reform tions and rural municipalities, told a conference of municipal officials last month that the new system isn’t efficient enough and needs to strike a balance between economic and environmental interests. Critics point out that the new system is so new that the strengths and weaknesses have yet to show themselves, and that the extensive review and consultation that took place over the past 4 years should be respected, not perverted by special interests at the 1 lth hour. Environmentalists, acknowledging the compromises they made during the last process, say that though the legislation isn’ perfect, it is better than nothing (the previous Act) and would like to see the reforms remain intact. What occurs during the next few months is unknown, except that the development and rural interests have the governments ear on this issue. What is at stake is almost every reform to the system generated during the last few years. That is, a planned future versus an accidental future. UPCOMING: The Ontario Environment Network will hold its Annual General Meeting in Toronto October 20-22. Transportation will be the primary focus of the conference.
We offer: 1) Coin operated laundromat with attendants 2) Dty cleaning - Students 20% discount 3) Wash & fold service, “Drop off your laundry & save time” 4) Shoe repair 5) Alterations I
LUNCH
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into Toronto’s core, Greyhound also offers a daily express route to downtown Toronto and Ottawa with pickup and drop-off points on university campuses. The special routes and student rates come just in time for Thanksgiving Weekend, so service may be busy. More information can be obtained by calling Travel. Cuts at 886-0400 or Greyhound at 7412600.
BUFFET
DINNER.
BUFFET
Mon. to Fri. $4.99 Mon. toThurd68.99 Saturday $5.99 Fri.to Sum. $I099 Sunday $6.99 dih?@fy p QfQJ/Q@ (excluding holidays)
one or more issues outlined above. Other smaller issues will also be looked at. We need your help to make SAC a success this term! Also, we need feedback concerning what changes you think should be implemented in SAC or the co-op department. Huw can SAC serve you better? Remember our mandate is to serve you and to make the co-op process more bearable for you. If you are interested in participating in one of the committees listed above or if you just want to voice your concerns, there are various ways to reach SAC. You can contact SAC by e-mail at sac @ undergrad.math. Also, check out the SAC board in Needles Hall, or just come out to the third general meeting which will be held on Monday, October 2 at 4:30 p-m. in the Student Life Centre, room 229.
routes
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SZECBUAN & CHINESE BUFFET 75 Weber Street, (Zeller’s Plaza) Waterloo 888-7200 519 Wilson Ave., (Toys R US Plaza), KITCHENER 748-2222
speaks
Greyhound
by Norm Furtado Imprint staff
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Planning
Though all of the major stakeholders made concessions during the drafting of the reforms, most stakeholders agree that the consultation process was fair and effective. What the Commission was looking for was ways to streamline the approvals process, incorporate environmental concerns about farmland, wetlands and forests into the Act (which were never really recognized in the previous legislation) and reign in urban sprawl. Now, as then, there is a lack of faith in the integrity of the planning profession: few people see any evidence of planning for a desireable future. What worries those in the field is that development is occuring in a piecemeal, unplanned fashion, with little regard for the future physical and socio- economic environment. That is not only the sentiment here in the Region of Waterloo, but across the Province where communities face development pressure. While the new goverment stated they would repeal the whole package ofreforms during the election, it now appears they will just tinker with key sections of the legislation Al Leach, under pressure from larger development corpora-
SAC
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Services Complex 125, 8884382
THIS SPECIAL NOT VALID ul
WITH OTHER COUPON
SPECIALS
BUSINESS HOUIRS: Monday to Thursday II:30 a.m. Friday & Saturday 11:30 a.m. - 11 :OO p.m.
“Me Stdeht
Pwm St&
10% OFF t EVERYJHING I I
EXCEPT PRESCRIPTIONS & SALE ITEMS WTUT#6AD OFFER EXPIRES OCTOBER
I Lower Level of the New 1 Student Life Centre
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13, 1995
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746-4500