The Local, October 31, 2019

Coffee groups abound in NOTL page 12 The trusted voice of our community. notllocal.com OCTOBER 31, 2019 Volume 1 • Issue 42 Monster Bash a sell-out Saturday’s annual Mon- ster Bash at Willowbank, organized by Perry and Shari Hartwick, raised about $7,500 to help local kids participate in sports. Hannah DiFruscio (top, left), Kyle Lamb, Andrea Letourneau, Danny Lamb, Diane Lamb, Janice Ash- croft, Greg Lamb (bottom left), Kirsten Cerminara and Ken Lamb get into the spirit of Halloween at the popular event. (Dan Migas) Moving forward with amalgamation threat behind us h op e f u l .” amalgamation, she says. that we’re both providing local area municipalities to Still an opportunity to While she thought Pre- There might still be some some of the same services. streamline services to not mier Doug Ford might be benefit to such a disentan- We’ve got the Region and only maintain service levels, review service delivery looking for ways to reduce glement exercise in Niagara, the Town doing snow re- but to enhance them.” the number of municipal Disero said, to look at who moval, for example. Why She said she is “pleased councillors, “I didn’t see does what. The mayors have don’t we have one level do- that Niagara-on-the-Lake Penny Coles during this summer’s As- him doing something dras- met to talk about that, “but ing the whole thing?” residents will continue to The Local sociation of Municipalities tic as far as service delivery. there is always a fear people In the letter she sent out have a strong voice in this of Ontario conference, she I thought he might put a will lose their jobs.” With Friday, Disero said main- community and be well said she was hearing from panel together, and a pro- the provincial threat reced- taining high service levels represented by our locally Lord Mayor Betty Dise- her contacts “what they’d cess in place for a disentan- ing, she says, “this will give has always been a priority elected officials.” ro couldn’t have been hap- been hearing,” that the pro- glement exercise.” people some job security.” for the Town. “I am confi- With the threat of amal- pier last Friday morning to vincial government had lost She points out the It also gives Niagara an dent that with the support gamation behind us, she learn the threat of amalga- its appetitive for forcing Province, from its earliest opportunity to review its of the provincial govern- said, “I’m excited to move mation is over. amalgamation on munici- discussions, never talked service delivery, “to ensure ment, and in partnership forward with our Strategic She’s delighted with the palities. about amalgamation, it was we are not duplicating ser- with the Niagara Region, Plan initiatives and look news, but not surprised. ”Of course anything you always about a regional re- vices,” says Disero. council and staff will con- From her discussions hear is speculative, but I was view. That got interpreted as “It makes no sense to me tinue to work with other Continued on page 2 2 October 31, 2019 THE NOTL LOCAL notllocal.com Town upholds extension of cannabis control bylaw He spoke of “bringing mitigating, deodorizing and ing the owners of the Air- The second appeal, from Public meeting held truth to the narrative,” focus- masking odours, which is port Road property, repeat- the company that hopes to ing on the need for a strong not what the law calls for, he ed some of the information grow cannabis outdoors on as part of bylaw review bylaw to address odour said. he presented to council this an Airport Road property, emissions from cannabis cul- He asked council to en- summer, saying outdoor pro- says council “overstepped tivation. sure its bylaw enshrines the duction has less of an impact its jurisdiction” in getting Penny Coles Town has conducted, and to In addition to losing prevention of the escape of on neighbours than growing into an examination of can- The Local hold a public meeting to al- more valuable tender fruit odours, pollen and dust from cannabis in greenhouses. nabis-related land uses. low input from all stakehold- and grape farmland to can- a building where cannabis Tweed Farms’ appeal says Growing cannabis, it says, After an open house for ers to ensure best practices nabis production, he said, is produced, packaged, la- there is no “bonafide review” is no different than growing public input on cannabis are used to control the culti- “the skunk stench will devas- belled and stored. He also underway, which is a condi- tender fruits or soybeans, production within the mu- vation of cannabis. tate the health and wellbeing recommended the refer- tion of an interim control by- on agriculturally designated nicipality, council, with no The bylaw under discus- of our local communities.” It ence to sensitive land use be law, and that the bylaw is not property. discussion, approved an ex- sion deals with air quality will also damage the area as tightened and defined, with based on legitimate land use The Town’s response is tension to the interim con- control, and imposes set- a destination for tourism, he the 1,500-setback measured reasons. that the interim control by- trol bylaw last week. backs of 1,500 metres to added, reduce property val- from property or lot lines, Tweed also states the ex- law is consistent with pro- Two appeals have been sensitive land uses, including ues and “change the fabric of to avoid any argument about tension to the control bylaw vincial policy, and conforms lodged against the interim residential neighbourhoods. farming communities.” where a building or amenity seeks to regulate cannabis, with all relevant provincial control, one from medical Mark Stewart, a resident He cited federal Regula- is located on the property. which is outside the juris- plans and all applicable offi- marijuana producer Tweed of St. Davids and a lawyer tion 85, reminding council Stewart assured council diction of a municipality and cial plans. That was all that Farms, and one from rep- who said he was speaking on that although the law states they would have the backing wholly within the jurisdic- was said at last week’s meet- resentatives of an Airport behalf of many concerned odour from cannabis pro- of residents if a tough bylaw tion of the federal govern- ing before the approval of ex- Road property, where there residents, said he, his wife duction must be prevented is challenged, possibly in- ment. It says no municipality tension of the bylaw. is a plan for outdoor growth and four adult children live from escaping, with strict cluding crowd-funding to is allowed to pass a bylaw re- Following the meeting of the product. within 1,500 metres of Can- compliance, there are li- assist with legal costs in the stricting normal farm prac- last week, staff will use the The reason for the exten- opy Growth’s Concession 5 censed producers not com- event of a challenge from tices, and growing cannabis, input to formulate a report sion was to conduct further operation, known as Tweed plying with that regulation. cannabis producers. it says, is normal farming for council on a bylaw con- review of the research the Farms. Instead, there is talk about Nicholas Dell, represent- practice. trolling cannabis production. Momentum of service review should be maintained Continued from page 1 threat of amalgamation of “This is an interesting He said if he were to and the two special advi- Clark said his govern- Niagara municipalities has time. It’s a good opportuni- consider forming a regional sors, Michael Fenn and Ken ment is committed to “help- forward to working with been removed. ty to have a really good look government today, it would Seiling, attended nine ses- ing and empowering mu- staff and council to further He, like other residents at ways to improve gover- be different from what ex- sions to hear from individ- nicipalities to become more our culture of customer ser- who hoped to preserve the nance. We’ve got a good ists. “This is an opportuni- uals and organizations on efficient and effective, so vice excellence.” identity of their community, feeling now of what people ty to take what’s best about how to improve their local they can make every dollar Regional councillor, feared that could be “wiped are open to considering regional government and governments. count.” Gary Zalepa said he is out” with amalgamation, he and what the public really make it better,” he said, He said the provincial The announcement said pleased and excited the said. wants.” continuing the momentum government would not be the Province is providing up that was created during dis- forcing amalgamation of to $143 million to munici- cussions held as part of the municipalities or imposing palities, intended to lower provincial review. cuts on municipal councils. costs and improve services “There is an opportunity Throughout the review, for locals in the long term. to design a different busi- the government heard that Clark said the invest- ness model.” local communities should ment is to support “munic- Locally-elected people decide what is best for them ipal transformation efforts,” tend to make the best de- in terms of government, de- to make sure they are deliv- cisions for their municipal- cision-making, and service ering efficient, effective and ity, he said. “We can create delivery, said a provincial modern services “that meet a governance model that news release. the unique needs of their works that way. Inefficien- “After careful consid- residents.” cies have evolved over the eration of the feedback we Through the Ontar- years, and I think we can heard through the course io Municipal Partnership make adjustments and do of the review, our govern- Fund, Niagara-on-the-Lake things better.” ment stands firm in its will receive $349,800 in Steve Clark, Minister commitment to partnering 2020.

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