Charlie Pinkerton

3 days ago | orilliamatters.com | Charlie Pinkerton |Jessica Smith Cross |Aidan Chamandy

Premier Doug Ford’s government announced Monday that it’s tabling legislation to overhaul how transit, road and housing projects get approved in an attempt to speed up their construction in Ontario. The bill aims to significantly change the permitting and approvals processes for roadway and transit projects, modify the province’s development charges and land-use planning systems, according to information the provincial government released before tabling it.

6 days ago | thetrillium.ca | Charlie Pinkerton |Jesmeen Gill

Weeks before last year’s byelection in Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, Ontario’s environment minister offered major relief to many local voters: the Ford government would halt controversial expansion plans for a dump in a town in the riding by requiring an examination of its environmental impacts. Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives then ran a candidate in the byelection who was on record opposing the expansion of the Dresden landfill, and he won.

1 week ago | thetrillium.ca | Charlie Pinkerton

Ontario's Progressive Conservatives aren't showing any signs of wavering in their effort to pass their first contentious bill since winning re-election earlier this year, despite the pushback they've received. On Tuesday, 70 PC MPPs voted to forward Bill 5, Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce's legislation titled the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, to the parliamentary committee study stage.

2 weeks ago | thetrillium.ca | Charlie Pinkerton

Premier Doug Ford's government reintroduced legislation meant to crack down on homeless encampments in Ontario. If passed, the Safer Municipalities Act would create a new law specifically prohibiting the consumption of illegal drugs in public, including in tents in parks. It would also give police greater authority to confront, arrest and fine anyone they suspect is using drugs in public.

2 weeks ago | miltontoday.ca | Charlie Pinkerton

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared on The Trillium, a Village Media website devoted exclusively to covering provincial politics at Queen’s Park. As challenges with housing and the health-care system have persisted in Ontario, the provincial government has for years been mulling over a report suggesting how to make a dent in both, while also offering taxpayers better bang for their buck.