Appeal Update: Great Participation!

People who wanted to add their names to our LPAT appeal had until last week to throw their hats into the ring. A whopping 29 participants, as concerned as we are about the mega-plan, stepped forward! You can see who they are, as well as their arguments, by clicking below:

CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT THEY WROTE

Who doesn't support good governance, transparency and analysis? For five years, hospital planners welcomed supportive opinions, while disparaging public expressions of concern. Just when the rubber is about to hit the road, don’t believe people who are now saying that it's time to move on. Our appeal is about ensuring all the proper steps have been taken, before our region makes a decision with health, economic and environmental consequences that will affect our well-being for generations to come.  While we wait for our case to be heard, it's time to let this important and independent tribunal process play out.

These Optics aren't Good

BizX: Explosive allegations that affect the public purse Were you able to pick up your copy of this month's edition of BizX yet? It contains alarming allegations of irregularities in the mega-hospital site selection process three years ago. Yet no other media outlets have ever investigated this. We're waiting to hear how our healthcare oversight body, the Erie St. Clair LHIN, who also sat on the Hospital Steering Committee, are planning to follow up. The allegations were made by Rick Spencer, the consulting engineer for the two shortlisted hospital sites. His firm's site servicing report shows existing access to the 75 acre GEM site via Tecumseh Road East (to the south) and Lauzon Parkway (to the east). Lauzon Parkway leads to an excellent connection to E.C. Row Expressway 4 km to the south.

How much extra will taxpayers be on the hook for? The BizX article alleges the access road was inexplicably switched (without consultation with Mr. Spencer) across the CN railway tracks to Jefferson Boulevard, which is to the west of the property. In this way, the County Road 42 site appears to be the more favourable of the two. Neither Jefferson nor County Road 42 is in as good a condition anywhere near that of the better-maintained and wider Lauzon Parkway. In this way, taxpayers will be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in road upgrades to County Road 42 that weren't reflected in the site selection evaluation. These extra upgrades weren't considered by Windsor's self-described cost averse City Council, who rushed to approve the location on active farmland, instead of taking the time to do a thorough cost analysis. Are you angry that Windsor Regional Hospital told us there's nothing to see?

A fair and transparent procurement process? The RFP (Request For Proposals) process, which was supposedly followed for the hospital site selection, is a provincial process. From the Ontario Government`s Procurement website: The Ontario government is committed to open, fair and transparent procurement processes.

About LPAT: “Let the Process Play Out”

The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal is an independent tribunal that hears cases in relation to a range of municipal planning, financial and land matters. For the past five years, elected and unelected officials have been telling us hospital planners advised them to “let the process play out“. While supportive opinions were welcomed, public expressions of concern were frequently disparaged. Don’t believe those who will argue that this appeal is a delaying tactic or a burden to tax payers. It is about ensuring all the proper steps have been taken, before we make a decision with health, economic and environmental consequences that will affect the region’s well-being for generations to come. Today, while we wait for the independent tribunal to hear our case, it really is time to let the process play out.

The Appeal will Confirm if the City did its Job Properly Listen to our campaign spokesperson, Melinda Munro, explain in a short 3 minute audio clip recorded on AM800's Lynn Martin show earlier this week, why this appeal is so important.

BizX: Explosive Allegations Alarming allegations of irregularities in the site selection process were published in this month's edition of BizX. The allegations were made by Rick Spencer, a prominent Windsor civil engineer, the consulting engineer for the two shortlisted hospital sites.

The article alleges the alteration of Mr. Spencer's cost analyses,  and misrepresentations about the road infrastructure costs in order to favour the proposed County Road 42 hospital location.

We first became aware of Mr. Spencer`s complaint in 2016, but to date, decision makers have not, to our knowledge, investigated them. The RFP (Request For Proposals) process, which was supposedly followed for the hospital site selection, is a provincial process. From the Ontario Government`s Procurement website: The Ontario government is committed to open, fair and transparent procurement processes. Vendors bidding on Ontario government contracts may request debriefings to understand how their proposal was evaluated and to learn how to improve their future proposals.

Renowned Planner Jennifer Keesmaat to Give Expert Evidence in Windsor Mega-Hospital Legal Appeal

Decisions by Windsor City Council to locate a proposed new single site acute care hospital on greenfield lands and to permit residential and commercial development of a further 1,000 acres of prime agricultural lands have recently been appealed to Ontario’s Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). Internationally-renowned planner Jennifer Keesmaat is now raising major concerns. The appeal was initiated by Citizens for an Accountable Mega-Hospital Planning Process (CAMPP). Ms. Keesmaat will be giving evidence as an independent expert witness supporting the appellant’s case. Amongst other qualifications, Ms. Keesmaat is the former Chief Planner of the City of Toronto, a recipient of the Canadian Institute of Planners’ highest Presidents Award, and member of the International Panel of Experts, Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority. “[S]prawling land use planning has implications …” Keesmaat states, adding that “directing growth to existing serviced areas prior to building new infrastructure is the foundation of the responsible use of land in the [Provincial Policy Statement].” Keesmaat also states: “Conformity to existing policy is not suggested, it is required.” “Having just completed five years as Chief Planner of Canada’s largest city, Ms. Keesmaat is one of the nation’s foremost planning experts. She is highly knowledgeable on how responsible city-building should take place. She has a unique and unparalleled understanding of how both officials plans and provincial policy are to be interpreted and applied” says Eric Gillespie, a leading municipal and environmental lawyer based in Toronto retained by CAMPP. He has been counsel in many precedent-setting legal challenges including the Walkerton Water Inquiry, as well as Canada’s largest environmental class-action (Pearson/Smith v. Inco) and the ongoing G20 class action up to the Supreme Court of Canada. “This appears to be a case where the City has chosen not to follow its own fundamental policies and those of the Province. The evidence of one of Canada’s top planners, Ms. Keesmaat, and others will address these errors.” A case management conference is scheduled for March 20, 2019, in Windsor.