Mark MacKenzie is our Green Party Candidate in the Ottawa-West Nepean byelection.  Visit his website for information on how to help him campaign as we lead up to election day on March 4th.  Here is an update from Mark regarding the current City of Ottawa issue about the urban boundary:

OTTAWA – The Ontario Municipal Board should not intervene or overturn Ottawa City Council’s decision to limit development to 220 hectares, largely within existing bus routes and support systems. So says Mark MacKenzie, the Green Party of Ontario candidate in the Ottawa West-Nepean by-election.

There are indications that developers who wanted to utilize upwards of 2000 hectares and had their plans dashed are appealing to the OMB. “The Ontario Municipal Board should not be the final arbiter of decisions made in good faith by local and elected community-based governments. The Ottawa City Council has a right to place restrictions on urban sprawl when and where it sees fit,” asserts MacKenzie.

“The OMB is not an elected body. It is made up of officials appointed by the Premier. It was created in 1897 when the City of Ottawa had only 100,000 people and stopped at Billings Bridge. OMB is a relic of the past and no longer relevant to the people of Ontario,” states MacKenzie.

“We are very concerned that the OMB is simply overriding local governments. The recent Manotick decision is further evidence of this lamentable situation. As your prospective MPP, I will move a motion at Queen’s Park for the abolition of the OMB because it has become an endangerment to our community-based democracy,” says MacKenzie.

Voter turnout has been on a downward decline in Ontario and municipal elections. “A clear disconnect exists between the people and the democratic process.  On March 4, 2010, voters in our communities have the ability to vote for community-based democracy by voting for me,” states MacKenzie.

For more information, please contact:

Mark MacKenzie
Green Party of Ontario Candidate
For Ottawa West-Nepean
Phone: 613-224-0050
Email: mark@markmackenzie.ca