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Midwestern

Grey County Wants Niagara Escarpment Commission Dissolved

Grey County Council wants to get rid of the Niagara Escarpment Commission.

The commission has proposed expanding the lands it protects further into Grey County.

Most councillors see the commission as just more red tape to development.

Meaford Mayor Barb Clumpus says their own planning staff is fully capable of environmental protection.

"I think it's a huge duplication of service and of bureaucracy because I think the service is delivered at the local level. We are very conscious of our environment and of the impact development has," says Clumpus.

Those in favour of keeping the N.E.C include Town of the Blue Mountains Mayor John McKean.

He says only the Commission can adequately protect the escarpment that includes municipalities from Fort Erie to Tobermory.

"I'm not saying the N.E.C. and the Niagara Escarpment Act are perfect by any means like I think there could be some modifications to allow some of the planners in the municipalities to have some more input but as an overacting body I don't think you can be without it," says McKean.

McKean points to developers wanting to build monster homes on the escarpment.

A majority of Grey County councillors have voted to lobby the province for the dissolution of the Niagara Escarpment Commission.

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