October 30, 2003
For Immediate Release

The Coalition on the Niagara Escarpment (CONE) has been monitoring decisions made by the NEC - the provincial agency responsible for controlling development on the Niagara Escarpment - since 1978.

"This report card is based on whether the Commissioner is adhering to the long-standing provincial policies of the Niagara Escarpment Plan in the votes that they make," said Jason Thorne, Executive Director of CONE.

CONE identified 17 significant development cases that went before the NEC between April 2000 and October 2003. Mr. Miller was present for 13 of those decisions and voted against the Niagara Escarpment Plan for 12 of them. Ms. Stewart was present for nine of those decisions and voted against the Niagara Escarpment Plan for seven of them

Among Mr. Miller's and Ms. Stewart's votes that CONE says contravened the province's Escarpment policies were votes in favour of the expansion of Dufferin Aggregates' quarry in Milton, the spreading of sewage sludge on Escarpment lands and the creation of several rural lot severances.

"The Niagara Escarpment Plan has been in place for nearly 20 years now," said Thorne. "It has enjoyed support from provincial governments of all political parties. It has been admired around the world as a model for controlling development in environmentally sensitive areas. And it has successfully held back urban sprawl on the Escarpment. By regularly voting against the Plan, Mr. Miller and Ms. Stewart risk undoing all of that."

CONE's report card graded each of the eight Commissioners who were appointed by the provincial Cabinet to represent the municipalities that the Escarpment crosses. The report card did not provide grades for the nine public-at-large appointees. A report card including grades for all 17 Commissioners is slated for release in January 2004.

Mr. Miller was appointed as Grey County's representative on the Commission in June 1998. Ms. Stewart was appointed as Commissioner for Bruce County in December 2001. Although both were appointed by the provincial Cabinet, they were nominated for the position by their respective County Councils. That is why CONE has released this report just prior to the municipal elections.

"Municipal voters don't elect Commissioners directly, but who they choose as municipal councillors will go a long way toward determining who ends up representing Bruce and Grey Counties on the NEC," said Thorne. "We want voters to keep that in mind on election day, because Bruce and Grey deserve better than 'F' performances for Escarpment protection."

Miller and Stewart were among three municipal members on the NEC who received an 'F' grade from CONE. The other was the representative for Halton Region. 'A' grades were awarded to the representatives of Simcoe County, Peel Region and Dufferin County. Hamilton's representative received a 'C' and Niagara Region's representative received a 'D+'.

The difference between an 'A' grade and an 'F' grade, according to CONE, is knowing when to say 'no.'

"Commissioners who received 'A' grades still voted to approve well over 95% of the development applications that came before them, because those applications met the provisions of the Niagara Escarpment Plan," said Thorne. "But those NEC members recognize that not all development is good. For the small number of applications that come forward that violate the provisions of the Plan, an 'A' Commissioner knows when to say 'no.'"

Jason Thorne, Executive Director
Coalition on the Niagara Escarpment
P: (519) 853-4955
Cell: (416) 892-4861