Protect Eisner Cove Wetland - QP
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Last week, my colleague asked a question concerning development and the impact on wetlands. Just now we heard about a waterway, and I've got another one for the minister.
Given the lack of transparency under the new planning task force, my constituents have many questions about what environmental safeguards will be put in place for the Eisner Cove Wetland, now that it has been designated a special planning area and development is being fast-tracked behind closed doors.
Mr. Speaker, government needs to increase access to housing. Government also needs to protect the environment, but without transparency, how will the minister assure my constituents that this wetland is not damaged?
JOHN LOHR « » : Again, as the member references, we are in an absolute housing crisis in the province. That means we need to act, but that doesn't mean we're going to short-circuit the permitting and environmental regulations that are required.
As the member mentioned and as the previous member mentioned, we are investing money in making those studies happen, to make the process move along. Is it a crisis or not? It is an absolute crisis, and we are going to act to solve it.
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : We're not asking if it's a crisis, with respect to the minister. I believe we were the ones who sounded the alarm. My constituents understand the need for truly affordable housing, which they are not at all convinced they are going to get out of their special planning area, but they also want to be consulted about the future of their community.
Unlike the nearby Penhorn special planning area - also in my district - HRM identified the Southdale lands for potential development, but according to our local councillor it was a blank slate. It had never gone to any kind of public review and now the Province has swooped in and taken over the process. It hadn't gone to public review because it was only recently sold by the Province of Nova Scotia with no consultation to a private developer.
Mr. Speaker, my question to the minister is: How will the minister ensure that people are informed and able to help shape the future of their own communities?
JOHN LOHR « » : What I can say is that we recognize there's a housing crisis across the province and in HRM, and we're taking steps to address it. We've created the special planning areas to look at what we need to do as a province, and to work with HRM collaboratively at what we need to do, what they need to do. We're addressing that in bills before this House in the special planning areas.
As I continue to reiterate, all the required environmental permitting and all required permitting will be done.