Year: 2018

 By MPP Toby Barrett Our Province of Ontario boasts 444 municipalities, including the City of Toronto, which provide critical services for people in Ontario. On August 14, as an elected representative, I voted in favour of Bill 5 – Better Local Government Act.  Our goal as government was clear then, and we remain committed to … Continue reading “Toronto will have 25 city councillors, not 47”

 By MPP Toby Barrett This past summer I developed and introduced a Private Members Bill titled, An Act respecting a voluntary program for the alternate use of agricultural land and the production of ecosystem services on that land. The proposed legislation recognizes the right of owners of agricultural land to set aside, voluntarily, any part … Continue reading “A bill to support alternate land use and services”

By MPP Toby Barrett As I attend the many events lined up throughout the fall, I am reminded of our agricultural, outdoors and cultural heritage and the giving spirit of people in Haldimand-Norfolk. It is heartening to be the elected representative of such a caring and generous community. Our fall season has kicked off with … Continue reading “There’s no shortage of things to do this fall”

By MPP Toby Barrett Ontario’s carbon tax era is over. Cancelling cap-and-trade is not only the right thing to do; it is also an important step to saving money on fuel and kick starting the economy. Under the previous government, Kathleen Wynne’s cap-and-trade carbon tax made Ontario unaffordable and uncompetitive, and added 4.3 cents per … Continue reading “Terminating Ontario’s cap-and-trade carbon tax”

By MPP Toby Barrett In a crowded world of seven billion people, human activity has significantly degraded our surroundings. Increasingly, we see the need for measures ranging from flood mitigation and wetland protection, to wildlife habitat and biodiversity, carbon sequestration and the reduction of phosphorus in our lakes. All too often, rules and regulations and … Continue reading “A program to help agriculture and protect wildlife”

By MPP Toby Barrett One reason we spent this summer at Queen’s Park – the House rose mid-August – was to bring in legislation to begin to clean up the hydro mess. Case in point – I just wrote a cheque for a property that used $23.05 of electricity, but required $40 to deliver it. … Continue reading “Cleaning up Hydro One is an urgent priority”

By MPP Toby Barrett In recent years farmers have taken leadership in an area where politicians have been slow to act. Or where they have acted, it has been to burden farmers, ranchers and property owners with bureaucratic rules and regulations. The diverse nature of the rural landscape has been recognized for years. In Europe, … Continue reading “Alternate land use services a win for all involved”