Development News
Midhurst Village / Minesing Wetlands Proposal
Located west of Barrie, plans to develop the village of 3,500 into a city of 28,000 people (roughly about the size of Orillia) are controversial. The local residents are upset because the development would destroy the small town way of life as well as encompass 1,700 acres of prime farmland. They are worried that the sewage requirements for so many people would ruin the internationally significant Minesing wetlands, downstream of the tiny Willow Creek, which would be modified to handle 10,600,000 litres of effluent per day.
The Minesing Wetlands is where the Mad and Pine rivers meet with the Nottawasaga River, head towards Wasaga Beach and ultimately empty into the Georgian Bay. This 7,000 hectare site comprises land holdings of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority, the Government of Ontario, County of Simcoe and numerous private landowners. The Minesing Wetlands is one of the largest intact wetlands in southern Ontario and provides habitat for a large variety of flora and fauna.
The Midhurst Secondary Plan (MSP) was approved by Springwater Council in 2008 and accepted by the County of Simcoe in 2011. The Province of Ontario appealed the plan to the Ontario Municipal Board, because it violated many of the planning principles in the Places to Grow Act. However, the province has since passed Amendment One, which modifies the planning principles to allow such vast developments.
The October 2014 municipal election changed the voice of Springwater Township to protect rather than develop the area. (article)
On May 16, 2016, Simcoe County backed by Springwater Township, turned down 5 of 6 development proposals. (article)
On September 30, 2016, Simcoe County announced approval of a behind closed doors deal for 3,000 new residents. (article) Bill French, Mayor of Springwater Township, was “shocked and dismayed”. (article)
News (reverse chronological order)
|
Date |
Source |
Title |
Comment |
|
2016-10-25 |
Barrie Examiner |
Bob Bruton |
|
|
2016-10-07 |
CTV News (Barrie) |
|
|
|
2016-10-07 |
Barrie Examiner |
Cheryl Browne |
|
|
2016-10-07 |
CTV News |
Community group, Springwater officials upset with Midhurst growth plan |
Roger Klein |
|
2016-10-05 |
Barrie Today |
Midhurst decision saves taxpayers cash, restricts sprawl, developers say |
Laurie Watt |
|
2016-10-01 |
AWARE Simcoe |
Kate Harries - OMB hearing date discrepancy? |
|
|
2016-09-30 |
Barrie Examiner |
Bob Bruton |
|
|
2016-09-30 |
Barrie Examiner |
Cheryl Browne |
|
|
2016-09-30 |
Simcoe County |
Warden Gerry Marshall |
|
|
2016-09-29 |
AWARE-Simcoe.ca |
‘Betrayal!’ County reverses decision, makes deal with Midhurst developers |
|
|
2016-09-29 |
Comment |
Simcoe County Council goes behind closed doors to broker a deal with developers for 3,000 new residents when levels had already been publically agreed in May |
|
|
2016-06-21 |
Change.org |
Midhurst Ratepayers’ Association |
|
|
2016-05-26 |
Barrie Examiner |
Cheryl Browne |
|
|
2015-12-28 |
Change.org |
- fundraising |
|
|
2015-05-27 |
Friends of Midhurst |
|
|
|
2014-10-24 |
Toronto Star |
Rachel Mendleson |
|
|
2014-10-06 |
Township of Springwater |
|
|
|
2014-06-25 |
Youtube / SaveMidhurstVillage |
Video: Margaret Atwood Speech – Celebration of Rural Living (18 mins) |
|
|
2014-06-23 |
Simcoe.com |
Focusing growth in Barrie best, Margaret Atwood tells Midhurst crowd |
Laurie Watt |
|
2014-06-22 |
Bayshore Broadcasting |
audio story |
|
|
2014-06-22 |
Food & Water First |
|
|
|
2014-06-20 |
Simcoe.com |
|
|
|
2014-03-20 |
Global News |
|
|
|
2014-02-14 |
Simcoe.com |
Laurie Watt - Margaret Atwood |
|
|
2013-07-02 |
Youtube |
|
|
|
2013-06-20? |
Change.org (Petition) |
Petition: Save our farms and water sources from mega-development |
Midhurst Ratepayers’ Association |
|
2013-06-15 |
AWARE Simcoe |
“Staff crossing line”: Marshall questions OMB motion to turf Midhurst ratepayers |
|
For more information:
Opposition:
Midhurst Ratepayers’ Association (savemidhurstvillage@gmail.com)
www.facebook.com/SaveMidhurstVillage
www.twitter.com/SaveMidhurstNow / @SaveMidhurstNow / #SaveMidhurst
See also:
Friends of the Minesing Wetlands http://minesingwetlands.ca
Return to AWARE-Ontario.ca Home Page
List of Ontario’s Issues
Disclaimer: This information has been compiled through private amateur research for the purpose of allowing the reader to make an informed and educated decision. However, while the information is believed to be reliable, accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
APPENDICES
http://awareontario.nfshost.com/AWARE-Ontario/Issues/Dev_Midhurst/Midhurst%20Village.htm