Molded Precision Components president David Yeaman is asking Oro-Medonte council to reconsider its decision to recommend the revocation of the minister’s zoning order (MZO) granted to him more than three years ago for the construction of a medical innovation park on Line 7 North.
In a letter to council, Yeaman, who is also the president of 2751851 Ontario Inc., claimed the township did not do its due diligence prior to arriving at its decision.
He plans on attending Wednesday’s council meeting to make his case.
“We had not spoken with the township prior to the council meeting, which we were unaware was happening. For an informed decision to be made, we feel that our input should be included,” Yeaman said in an email.
“We look forward to providing that input at tomorrow’s council meeting prior to the township submitting any feedback to the province.”
At the township’s council meeting on Jan. 10, municipal staff looked to council for authorization to submit comments about the MZO related to the development of a medical innovation park on Line 7 North, about halfway between Barrie and Orillia, in response to a request from Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra.
The minister is looking to potentially revoke, amend or enhance monitoring for specific MZOs where limited progress has been made.
Rather than simply provide comments, Oro-Medonte council amended the motion to reflect its desire to have the MZO revoked.
It was recommended that “council direct planning staff to make a submission to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing based on the comments as outlined in Report DS2024-004 through the Environmental Registry of Ontario (019-7996) as the township’s submission on the ministry’s consultation on potential revocation of Minister’s Zoning Order Ontario Regulation 609/20 to support the revocation of the MZO as it applies to the subject property,” read the amended motion, which was approved by council.
According to Andy Karaiskakis, the township’s manager of planning services, the developer of the medical innovation park has not been in contact with the township regarding the proposal.
“No applications have been received by the township to facilitate the proposed development and, further, the township has received no correspondence from the owner of the lands about the progress of this development,” Karaiskakis wrote in his report to council on Jan. 10.
“Consequently, planning staff are of the opinion that O. Reg. 609/20 as it relates to the medical innovation park located at 561 Line 7 N. is not progressing in an expedient manner as intended through the approval of the site-specific MZO.”
Yeaman said he has kept the township informed.
“We have been working on attracting the appropriate tenants, investors and development partners before the site plan can be developed and submitted as they would be part of the planning process. It is incorrect to say we have not been speaking with the municipality since the MZO has been submitted,” Yeaman wrote in his letter.
“We continue to work to attract the partners necessary to make the medical innovation park a reality.”
The township had supported the request for the MZO, which was granted Oct. 30, 2020.
Sometime after receiving the MZO, Yeaman put the land up for sale. The asking price was more than $26 million.
“We have always been working to ensure the medical innovation park outlined in the MZO is built,” Yeaman wrote. “When we posted the land for sale, it was to attract the investors and developers needed to execute the project.”
He said the ministry conducted a review of the MZO in 2021.
He also noted there were expressions of overwhelming public support for the project and the MZO was upheld.
However, in February 2022, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued a statement about the proposal.
“Since the landowner has decided to not build the medical innovation park and has instead put the land up for sale, the minister will initiate conversations with the Township of Oro-Medonte to commence the process of revoking the MZO,” said Zoe Knowles, communications director for Steve Clark, then-minister of municipal affairs and housing.
“We have been clear that MZOs are a tool to accelerate critical local projects, like housing and health care, by cutting through red tape — and it is not a tool to be leveraged for real-estate speculation.”
Yeaman said if the MZO is revoked, thousands of jobs — direct, indirect and construction — will be lost and the township will forgo substantial tax revenue. He didn’t provide any details on what types of jobs would be affected or how much money the township would lose.
He also said Canada needs to be ready for future health scares and revoking the MZO for the medical innovation park would leave the country vulnerable.
“We need to be prepared for the next pandemic and revoking this MZO would counteract that and we will be in the same position as we were when COVID hit,” he said. “There is only harm done if this is revoked and nothing positive comes from it.”
Oro-Medonte Mayor Randy Greenlaw said Yeaman’s request to council to reconsider its recommendation may be for naught.
“At the end of the day, this isn’t a municipal decision,” the mayor said. “It’s a provincial issue. We indicated that we are not in support of the MZO, but it’s ultimately the province’s decision.”
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing spokesperson Alexandru Cioban said the ministry began consultations in December on several proposals to potentially revoke, amend or enhance monitoring for specific MZOs where limited progress has been made toward implementation of the proposed development.
Cioban said municipalities, stakeholders, Indigenous communities and the public can provide feedback and comments on the Environmental Registry of Ontario.
“We encourage interested parties to submit their feedback before Saturday, Jan. 27,” Cioban said.
