development

Thursday January 12, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday January 12, 2023

Provincial law threatens to strip development protection from Hamilton wetlands

Nearly three-quarters of Hamilton’s most significant wetlands are at risk of losing provincial protection from development under new legislation that has spurred ongoing protests across the city and Ontario.

December 17, 2022

Last November, Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government passed a new law designed to speed up home building amid Ontario’s housing crisis. The omnibus bill proposed — among other contentious changes — an overhaul of how “provincially significant” wetlands are evaluated.

Development is prohibited on a wetland that is deemed provincially significant.

Right now, that protected status applies to the “vast majority” of local wetlands — marshy areas covering 8,138 acres — in the watershed overseen by the Hamilton Conservation Authority, said deputy chief administrative officer Scott Peck.

But the proposed changes suggest nearly 75 per cent of Hamilton’s provincially significant wetlands could be re-evaluated — and potentially lose default development protection. “Certainly in our minds, it would result in a reduction,” said Peck, who outlined the agency’s concerns in a letter to the province.

November 13, 2020

Public criticism of the proposal has come from many conservation authorities, advocacy groups and the auditor general, Bonnie Lysyk, who has noted the evaluation changes would give less weight to habitat for at-risk species.

In November, The Spectator reported the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority warned “it is highly likely that there will no longer be any wetlands left” within that watershed, which includes part of Glanbrook and Stoney Creek.

The provincial Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, however, said in an email the proposed changes should have a “net positive impact” on wetlands by removing “duplicative requirements” and streamlining evaluations. It also noted the government is providing $30 million to “create and restore” wetlands across Ontario.

Wetlands are considered important for flood control, groundwater recharge and filtration of pollutants. They’re also essential habitat for plants and animals, including many at-risk species. (The Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Saturday December 17, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday December 17, 2022

Why is COP15 important?

The definition of “biodiversity” is: “The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.” Biodiversity encompasses all aspects of life — genes, species and ecosystems — and it is currently in imminent danger. That means we are too.

December 10, 2022

The COP15 UN biodiversity conference runs from Dec. 7 to 19 in Montreal with 196 counties trying to agree on a plan to stop biodiversity loss and help restore nature because our fate as the human race is inextricably linked to the rest of nature. The plan is to protect at least 30 per cent of our lands and oceans by 2030 and the biodiversity that we depend on to survive.

Elizabeth Mrema, UN biodiversity head, has described the conference as “calling for ambitious outcomes.”

“Clearly the world is crying out for change, watching our governments seek to heal our relationships with nature,” she says.

The 2022 WWF Living Planet Report warned that global wildlife populations declined by 70 per cent from 1970 to 2022. This accelerating loss of nature has already impacted human well-being and economies. Healthy ecosystems also play indispensable roles in tackling climate change, and the loss of biodiversity weakens our resilience to that change. We are stripping our planet so aggressively and unsustainably that the resources we depend on will soon be extinct.

The 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework’s four goals focus on conservation, sustainable use of biodiversity, fair benefit-sharing, and “resource mobilization” (more funding). The targets cover expanding protected areas (like the Greenbelt that Premier Ford will destroy with his outdated Bill 23 legislation), reducing pollution to ensure food production is healthy and sustainable and phasing out billions of dollars of public subsidies that harm nature. That’s why Bill 23 is a direct contradiction to COP15 and needs to be repealed.

November 23, 2022

Bill 23 will harm the Greenbelt, create more biodiversity loss, increase urban sprawl and emissions that will also affect Peterborough. It will also pollute prime agricultural land that was protected for growing local food and poison the soil and crops that grows there.

So, when Dave Smith says that Bill 23 will not affect Peterborough, he is wrong because this legislation will harm our environment and human health by allowing municipalities to move away from environmental protection and build big carbon footprint housing developments on protected land near protected waterways, wetlands and forests.

It’s hard work to balance the environment with the economy. That’s why we need politicians and governments who can do both because they are both connected to each other. By passing Bill 23, the Ford government has shown it doesn’t know how to make this connection work for the common good. It’s a fine balance, but a balance crucial to the health and survival of our biodiverse human race. (The Peterborough Examiner) 

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro … These sped up clips are posted to encourage others to be creative, to take advantage of the technology many of us already have and to use it to produce satire. Comfort the afflicted. Afflict the comforted.

 

Wednesday November 23, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 23, 2022

Humanizing The Way Cities Are Built

Remember when you rented or bought your first apartment? Maybe it was a small studio, or perhaps you roomed with a few friends. The location mattered—maybe being close to nightlife was mandatory. As time went on, your need for nightlife dimmed in favour of a bigger apartment for the family in the suburbs.

November 9, 2022

Imagine buying space in a building as part of a community with shared spaces and opportunities to interact with others. You don’t have to move as your life changes. Instead, your space changes to suit your needs. Initially, you may want a lot of open space and just a small kitchen. When your partner moves in, you reconfigure your space and replace a minimalistic kitchen with a fully functional kitchen where you and your partner cook together. Then, you create one more bedroom and add a bath. You stay in the same community and the same space, but your space adjusts as your life evolves.

This is the world of modular living in the making.

When I was growing up in Warsaw, Poland, modular construction was a synonym for high-cost, low-quality construction and tasteless, cookie-cutter neighbuorhoods. Now, modular construction and business models can give us unique, soulful living as part of a community, where our surroundings evolve with us. Modular construction is attractive, cost-effective and sustainable.

May 7, 2014

Globally, over half of humans already live in cities, and by 2100 the figure is expected to rise to 85% (or to about 9 billion people). This change can place strain on the small patches of land cities occupy. Can we live in cities but still stay connected to nature? As Neri Oxman discussed in a recent podcast, urban and natural, convenience and community do not have to be mutually exclusive. And modular construction plays a key role in accomplishing such a balance.

So, what’s the formula for the most sustainable and livable urban future? In my view, we need to start with modernizing and adapting existing buildings to future needs, balancing old charm and new conveniences, integrating nature and creating communities. When we end up building new structures, we can take advantage of modular construction and innovative building methods and tools to construct them more efficiently and to build in modularity from the start.

August 12, 2022

Are you drawn to older, historic buildings with their “lumps and bumps”? The quirks of these old buildings captivate us and draw us in. When we feel an emotional connection to a building, we cherish it and want to maintain and evolve it while preserving its character.

Eighty-five percent to 95% of the buildings that exist today will still be standing in 2050. It is not uncommon to upgrade buildings, especially office spaces, that are just seven years old. Especially now, many developers and tenants look for ways to entice employees to come to offices to collaborate and innovate. Thus, they implement new technologies and boost energy efficiency. Increasingly, however, they also build flexibility into their design, anticipating a building’s evolution and thus preserving its value, making it future-proof.

A people-centric view of construction results in buildings that are more flexible, affordable and personal. The most functional residential buildings are customizable to our needs at every stage in our lives. Modular construction and buildings bring a multitude of benefits, including reduced waste, speedy building, cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness and flexibility.

May 12, 2022

Modular construction is both profitable and sustainable: The market is projected to grow from $76 billion in 2021 to $115 billion in 2028.

One big benefit of the modular home approach is that it addresses the need for affordable housing. “Expandable” house projects are built from local, inexpensive materials and are designed for changeable configurations. Some modular housing can expand horizontally and vertically (up to three stories) and features resources such as safe roof-water harvesting, green electricity and Wi-Fi.

Forward-thinking architects are designing buildings that respond to external circumstances, such as this “operable, interactive village hut” in China that opens and closes depending on the temperature. In Helsinki, Little Finland was built to serve as a temporary modular conference space during a three-year renovation of the neighboring Finlandia Hall. This adaptable space will be repurposed for new uses after the renovation is complete.

December 1, 2021

The construction industry is currently responsible for 38% of overall greenhouse gas emissions. Modular building projects can significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions because they’re typically completed 30% to 50% faster than traditional construction.

We all want to feel connected and have a sense of belonging to where we live. Our living spaces don’t have to be our bespoke castles; they can integrate us into vibrant communities. Our homes should evolve as our needs evolve, bond us with our history and keep us emotionally connected to nature. Welcome to the future of construction—welcome to the future of living. (Forbes)

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro … These sped up clips are posted to encourage others to be creative, to take advantage of the technology many of us already have and to use it to produce satire. Comfort the afflicted. Afflict the comforted.

Wednesday November 9, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 9, 2022

Pushing back against Doug Ford’s heavy hand

October 22, 2022

Premier Doug Ford and his government backed down dramatically on their unconstitutional dealings with education unions, specifically, CUPE. Is there any chance Ford will similarly back down on his government’s decision to override the will of Hamilton city council to freeze the city’s urban boundary?

It would be nice to argue yes, but it would also be fanciful. Ford didn’t back down from the education fight for any ethical or moral reason. It wasn’t because he wanted to keep kids in schools or wanted a fair deal for Ontario’s lowest paid education workers.

Rather, he backed down entirely out of fear. He saw the public opinion polling that showed most Ontarians blamed his government for the standoff, not the union. He heard the threats of wider-spread job action in support of CUPE. Faced with a protracted labour war, recognizing that the optics don’t favour his government, Ford did a dramatic reversal.

December 11, 2018

Good for CUPE and other unions lined up in support. But the grim reality is Hamilton city council does not have a similarly big stick. Municipalities are creatures of the province, and there is no real appeal of a decision taken directly by Queen’s Park and dropped on a local government.

Nor is there much people can do when a government so blatantly reverses itself on environmental policy, which it did last Friday with the decision to allow development on Greenbelt lands.

Four years ago, Ford said: “The people have spoken. I’m going to listen to them, they don’t want me to touch the Greenbelt, we won’t touch the Greenbelt.”

May 12, 2022

That was after he was recorded telling development friends that he would free up Greenbelt land so they could build more urban sprawl. His response was that now historic promise, which now lies in pieces on the ground.

The plan is to take 15 pieces of Greenbelt land, totalling 7,400 acres, and make them available for development in places like Hamilton, Toronto, Grimsby, Pickering and Ajax. But it’s all good, says the government, because we will add another 9,400 acres back in from somewhere else.

What many people don’t yet know is that most of that replacement land, river valleys and the like, is already covered under other environmental protection policies. So it can’t be developed anyway, and the net environmental impact will be more development and on previously protected lands.

November 12, 2021

That’s the sort of sleight of hand practised by Ford and friends. And up against it, there’s a limit to what a local government, like Hamilton’s, can do.

That doesn’t mean city council shouldn’t try, only that our expectations should be tempered. Re-elected Coun. John-Paul Danko put it this way to Spec journalists: “I think we need to turn over every stone, as it were, to find ways to resist this kind of growth that is not in the best interest of our city.”

An example, cited by Danko, could be delaying servicing previously protected lands with essential infrastructure. You can’t build houses where there are no roads and sewers. Another tactic might be expediting intensification in existing neighbourhoods, suggested Environmental Defence lawyer Phil Pothen.

These and other ideas are worth exploring, and will challenge our new city council. But based on the overall reaction to the province’s stomping all over local democracy, they are worth discussing and implementing where it makes sense. The good news is that we’re hardly alone as other municipalities are also feeling betrayed and will be weighing their options.

November 13, 2020

Given that, it makes sense for municipalities of a similar mind to come together, perhaps under the auspices of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). Individually, there might be little they can do to slow down the government’s “pave paradise” mentality. But collectively, who knows?

What is the alternative? Roll over and accept the government’s ideologically-driven development agenda? Allow conservation and wetland protection to suffer as conservation authorities are neutered? Watch farmland disappear under expensive urban sprawl, which ultimately costs local taxpayers because greenfield development doesn’t pay for itself? Those options are even more unappealing. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro … These sped up clips are posted to encourage others to be creative, to take advantage of the technology many of us already have and to use it to produce satire. Comfort the afflicted. Afflict the comforted.

 

Saturday October 22, 2022

Editorial Cartoon By Graeme MacKay – The Hamilton Spectator, Saturday October 22, 2022

Ford government to introduce housing legislation immediately after the municipal election: ministry

The Ford government will introduce housing legislation the day after Ontario’s municipal election, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing said Friday.

May 12, 2022

The confirmation comes after The Toronto Star reported Thursday the Ford government plans to “override” municipal zoning laws to allow more “middle missing” housing to be built across Ontario. The changes, the Star reports citing officials, will not permit housing development on the Greenbelt.

Ford previously announced his government would aim to build 1.5 million more homes in the next 10 years, which was a goal recommended by a government-commissioned housing task force report earlier this year to address soaring house prices.

Before his current term, Ford said most municipalities are “slow to approve projects,” and cited the pace of municipal construction approvals as a barrier to making housing more affordable.

The NDP, the Ford government’s official opposition, said it couldn’t comment fully before the legislation is released.

“The devil is in the details,” said housing critic Jessica Bell Friday, at a news conference.

December 10, 2020

However, the party is calling for a housing plan that includes an end to exclusionary zoning, more housing construction, clamping down on investor speculation and rent control.

“We need a comprehensive approach to make housing affordable for current Ontarians, as well as new Ontarians that are planning on calling our province home,” said Bell.

Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner called for similar measures as the NDP and also highlighted the need for investments in social, co-op, non-profit and permanent supportive housing.

“If the government fails to listen to what the experts are saying and what the Ontario Greens have been calling for, I have the whole suite of private members’ bills ready to be introduced to address this crisis in the failure of government action,” said Schreiner. (CBC)

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro …