Latest news with #Province
Saba Yemen
3 days ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Lahj governor reviews Dam clearance, construction projects in al-Shuaib
Lahj – Saba: Lahj Governor Ahmed Jarib, accompanied by Province Undersecretary Faisal al-Faqih and al-Qabaita District Director Wahid al-Khidr, on Saturday reviewed the progress of Damran Dam clearing project. They assessed efforts to remove flood debris to preserve the dam's storage capacity and replenish groundwater. Additionally, Jarib, al-Faqih, and al-Khidr inspected the ongoing construction of the new local authority building and plowing unit in al-Shuaib area of al-Qabaita, a project valued at 99 million YER. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Stouffville Council Votes In Favour of Greater Housing Flexibility in Oak Ridges Moraine, Greenbelt
● In a 4-3 Council vote, Stouffville will ask the Province to permit up to two Additional Residential Units (ARUs) on all rural properties within the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) and Greenbelt. ● The Town will also push for broader local planning authority and flexibility for minor amendments to the Provincial conservation plans. ● A formal process for settlement area expansion into the ORM Countryside areas is also being requested. ● The recommendations were put forward in a report from Town Staff covered in an article last week. ● While some residents support ARUs as a multi-generational housing and affordability solution, critics fear 'green sprawl' and increased speculation. ● The Greenbelt Foundation and York Region Federation of Agriculture warned the broader planning changes could erode conservation efforts ● Save the Oak Ridges Moraine Coalition emphasized the importance of not rushing such decisions, saying they should be left to a formal 10-year review anticipated in 2027. Following a narrow 4-3 Council vote on June 4, Stouffville will formally ask the Ontario government to permit up to two Additional Residential Units (ARUs) on rural properties within the Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt, including areas where they are currently prohibited. The recommendations aim to bring conservation plans in line with Ontario's 2024 Provincial Planning Statement, which permits up to two ARUs on agricultural lands outside the ORM and Greenbelt areas. The Town is also seeking broader decision-making authority over land-use matters within the protected zones. Councillors Sue Sherban, Keith Acton, and Rick Upton voted against submitting the recommendations to the Province, while Mayor Iain Lovatt and Councillors Hugo Kroon, Richard Bartley, and Maurice Smith supported it. The Push for Rural ARUs Town Staff argue that expanded ARU permissions would support multi-generational living, create secondary income opportunities, boost housing supply, and improve affordability. They have also asked the Province to issue guidance that ensures any resulting development maintains rural character and environmental protections. Mayor Lovatt referenced the Town's efforts to expand ARU permissions throughout the municipality's serviced settlement areas during the meeting, but he noted many rural residents have been denied ARU approvals due to conservation policies. 'We're trying to address real-life issues that our residents bring to us,' he said. Those frustrations were echoed in several presentations to Council from rural property owners. 'Our family purchased land in this area in 1997, prior to the implementation of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP),' said deputant Michelle Johnson. 'The restrictions imposed…have significantly limited our ability to utilize our property in a way that would allow us to live affordably.' Johnson said ARUs could also help families like hers support adult children struggling with housing costs while offering aging parents the ability to remain on their land and connected to their communities. 'An ARU could generate income through rental opportunities, which would be beneficial in our retirement years,' she said. 'ARUs are not a form of major development and do not have a significant impact on the environment or community…They offer a practical solution for families like ours to utilize their properties in ways that are both sustainable and responsible.' Councillor Sherban expressed empathy but warned of long-term consequences. She argued that further small-scale permissions could open the door to broader land fragmentation and speculative development. 'It seems so minuscule what you're asking,' she said. 'But if this keeps on—one more ARU, one more ARU—it's opening that door. And where do we stop?' Sherban added that she did not want to be remembered as someone who helped launch unchecked rural development rather than someone who tried to prevent it. ' Sometimes somebody has to say no,' she said. Expanding Local Planning Powers In addition to the ARU request, Staff recommended Council ask the Province to grant municipalities more authority over local planning within the conservation areas, including a process for minor amendments to ORMCP and Greenbelt Plan policies. They also suggested procedures for redesignating prime agricultural land as rural, broader permissions for small-scale commercial, industrial, and institutional uses, and the ability to build public service facilities such as parks, fire stations, and community centres within protected areas. Staff further requested guidance for expanding settlement areas into the Oak Ridges Moraine Countryside Area. 'The Provincial plans are overly restrictive and do not provide sufficient flexibility to address local circumstances as well as the Town's planning objectives,' said Randall Roth, a Senior Policy Planner with the Town. The York Region Federation of Agriculture (YRFA), a nonprofit representing more than 600 farm operations, supported the ARU recommendations but opposed the broader planning changes. In their view, such changes would have a 'detrimental effect' on agriculture within the municipality. 'The Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt are significant agricultural and environmental resources. They must remain intact and protected in their entirety for future generations,' said YRFA Secretary and Treasurer Kim Empringham. 'Allowing local municipal amendments, redesignation of prime agricultural areas, small scale commercial, industrial, and institutional uses, public service facilities, and parks will result in the death of the ORM by a thousand cuts.' 'Settlement area expansions will speed up this demise,' she added. 'YRFA would support ARUs on the ORM and the Greenbelt, but not the list of requests found in Part 3 of the motion.' Greenbelt Foundation CEO Edward McDonnell submitted a letter opposing all recommendations. The Foundation cited the 2022 Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force report , which stated Ontario has ample developable land and does not require ORM or Greenbelt lands to meet housing targets. A recent Foundation report also highlights rural housing case studies from Durham, Niagara, and Huron as examples of how complete rural communities can be built without compromising protected conservation areas. Council ultimately deferred the request for expanded commercial and institutional permissions but approved the remainder for submission to the Province. Town Looks to Expedite Implementation While facing a barrage of criticism for a contentious and contested social media campaign opposing the report and its recommendations, Save the Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM) Coalition Chair Robert Brown also addressed Council. He later told Bullet Point News that he was 'deeply disappointed' by the decision. Brown expressed concern over the potential consequences of fast-tracking the proposed changes through the upcoming Bill 17 legislative process, a path the Town has recommended to the Province. He believes the move would risk bypassing critical data collection and public consultation and suggested Stouffville should wait for the mandated 10-year review expected in 2027. 'That 10-year review process is the point where we collect new data, find out what has changed within the conservation areas over the last decade, and learn what impacts development patterns have had on the plan areas' ecology and hydrology,' Brown told us. He emphasized the importance of input from scientific and engineering communities, calling it 'reckless' for politicians to make such decisions in the absence of that data. 'That process also provides opportunity for public consultation, including with stakeholders like STORM, to be able to voice their opinions and have their say over the directions of the plan, identify pain points, and work them out mutually,' he added. Councillor Acton expressed a similar position during Council deliberations, saying he believes Stouffville is already doing its 'fair share' in delivering needed housing. In his view, there is no justification to rush implementation of the recommendations. ' In the next 18 months or less, the Province will do their review. At that point, all parties, the public, the municipality, whoever, will have an opportunity to make comments,' Acton said. ' I think it would be wise…to let the Province do their work and review on their timetable, and they will own that decision.' Brown also mentioned the importance of maintaining a top-down structure for Ontario's conservation plans, arguing that the approach is essential to achieving 'harmonized, ecological, and hydrological protections' across southern Ontario. 'That is how we protect vital agricultural and freshwater resources, mitigate climate change impacts, and maintain flood protections for communities like Stouffville,' he said. Councillor Kroon offered a contrasting perspective during the Council meeting, expressing a preference for local decision making over Provincial control. 'We know our municipality, and we know what is needed and what works much better than having the Province making… one-size-fits-all decisions,' he said. 'Stouffville is a unique town. We have unique solutions to our requirements, and we should be allowed to make those decisions,' Kroon added. The Threat of 'Green Sprawl' Brown characterized the ARU proposal as part of a growing wave of 'green sprawl,' where development creeps into environmentally sensitive areas under the guise of gentle density. While acknowledging a real need for more housing options, he pointed to the increasing number of 'palatial homes' across the Moraine and warned that the proposed changes would largely benefit wealthy landowners. 'They are the ones who have the money and resources to build ARUs. Furthermore, as we saw in the delegations, people are already talking about building ARUs as rental properties,' he said. 'We will have a whole new speculative rental market that will be highly desirable given its location on the ORM and Greenbelt. And when market speculation gets involved, we know there will be no affordable housing.' Brown acknowledged that STORM's social media messaging could have deployed a bit more nuance, but said he hopes the conversation will remain focused on the underlying policy implications. 'It is the narrow-sighted, 'no for the sake of no' responses to residents' actual, lived needs that is so frustrating,' Lovatt later told Bullet Point News. 'The ORMCP needs responsible reform, and the councillors who supported Staff's recommendations recognize that.' 'I can't look a resident in the eyes and tell them we're not going to review the policy because I'm worried about what might happen in another town,' he added. Lovatt also argued it's unreasonable to deny an ARU for aging parents when more damaging uses, such as large-scale aggregate extraction operation, are permitted under existing rules. 'I will never shy away from difficult files with the Province out of fear or 'what ifs,'' he said. 'I will advocate for fairness and generational equity, and let the Province make the final decision.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Cision Canada
4 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Maritime Launch Receives Additional Infrastructure Reimbursement Approval for Over $10 Million from the Province of Nova Scotia for an Additional Small Launcher Launch Pad
CANSO, NS, June 6, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, Maritime Launch Services Inc. (Cboe CA: MAXQ) (OTCQB: MAXQF) announces that the Company has obtained approval from the Province of Nova Scotia for approximately $10.5M under the Capital Investment Tax Credit (CITC). This approval will support the construction of a dedicated launch pad for small launch vehicles, an essential addition to support the company's growing roster of global launch clients. The CITC is a refundable corporate tax credit designed to encourage capital investment in Nova Scotia through approved projects. The approval awarded to Maritime Launch will facilitate the establishment of highly specialized commercial space infrastructure and enhance Canada's sovereign space capabilities. This approval builds upon prior support from the Province under the CITC program. Approximately $30.7 million in CITC funding has been authorized for qualified infrastructure projects at Spaceport Nova Scotia. "This support from the Province sends a clear message to the global space industry that Nova Scotia is open for business," said Stephen Matier, President and CEO of Maritime Launch. "With the help of the CITC, we are building the foundation for Canada's commercial space sector, bringing jobs, innovation, and global investment to rural Nova Scotia and sovereign launch capability to Canada." The dedicated launch pad is a separate, stand-alone launch platform designed to serve Maritime Launch's growing customer base of international launch providers. The project includes the full suite of specialized infrastructure required for safe and efficient orbital launch operations, including a flame diverter, gas and propellant system interfaces, electrical and power systems, civil works, and other mission-critical components tailored to support modern small launch vehicles. "Nova Scotia is working to grow our economy, and we're happy to see companies investing in their future here," said Premier Tim Houston. "This tax credit will continue to support Maritime Launch Services in creating something truly exciting to be part of – a spaceport here in the Province. In the process, they'll create opportunities for Nova Scotians in rural areas." Spaceport Nova Scotia: Driving Economic Growth and Innovation in Nova Scotia and Sovereign Launch Capability for Canada The CITC-supported infrastructure will generate substantial benefits for the Municipality of the District of Guysborough and the Province as a whole: Job Creation: As the spaceport becomes operational, up to 30 jobs will be created in the local area, spanning technical, operational, and maintenance roles. Local Economic Activity: Infrastructure development and ongoing operations will drive demand across local construction, hospitality, and service sectors. Investment Attraction: Spaceport Nova Scotia will anchor a new high-tech sector in the region, helping to diversify the local economy and position Nova Scotia as a global destination for space and satellite companies. Resilience and Sovereignty: With robust infrastructure in place, Canada strengthens its domestic capability in satellite communications. The CITC is a targeted incentive program offsets 25% of eligible capital expenditures on approved projects in Nova Scotia, with a maximum benefit of $100 million. The program enables transformative infrastructure projects to move forward in rural regions, attracting private-sector investment and high-quality jobs. The support of the Nova Scotia Government's CITC program is essential to attract private-sector investment, stimulate innovation, and create the conditions for long-term economic growth. For more information on this announcement and ongoing development at Spaceport Nova Scotia, please visit: About Maritime Launch Maritime Launch Services Inc. (NEO: MAXQ, OTCQB: MAXQF) is a Canadian-owned commercial space company based in Nova Scotia. Maritime Launch is developing Spaceport Nova Scotia, a launch site that will provide satellite delivery services to clients to support the growing commercial space transportation industry over a wide range of inclinations. Spaceport Nova Scotia will allow small and medium-sized launch vehicles to place their satellites into low-earth orbit. Spaceport Nova Scotia is Canada's first commercial orbital launch complex. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: entering into binding definitive extension agreements with the holders of the debentures, consideration payable in connection with the extension of the debentures, and regulatory approval of the extension by the Cboe Exchange. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking statements in this news release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to come to mutually agreeable binding terms in definitive agreements with the holders of the debentures in a timely manner or at all; continued approval of the Company's activities by the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities; the Company's ability to finance its operations until the extension can be secured and profitability of the Company can be achieved and sustained. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the potential inability of the Company to continue as a going concern; risks associated with potential governmental and/or regulatory action with respect to the Company's operations. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
B.C. and First Nations launch massive land-use planning project in northwest B.C.
Five First Nations in northwest B.C. have partnered with the Province to identify areas across 16 million hectares for both biodiversity conservation and natural resource development to boost Canada's economy. 'Partnerships like this will deliver the critical minerals the world needs while better protecting the air, land and waters that First Nations have stewarded since time immemorial,' said Jagrup Brar, minister of Mining and Critical Minerals, in a June 3 news release. In the release, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship announced that over the next year, it will collaborate with the Tahltan, Taku River Tlingit, Kaska Dena, Gitanyow, and Nisga'a Nations on fast-tracked, inclusive land-use planning. This process will also involve engaging with industry and other community partners to develop a world-leading land-use plan to provide greater certainty for investors and First Nations in the region, the ministry added. The planning process will assess an area covering 16 million hectares in B.C.'s north near the Alaska and Yukon borders. Partners will identify zones for conserving biodiversity, such as wild salmon, caribou, sheep, and other sensitive species. They will also outline areas for resource development, especially mineral exploration, along with clear sustainability safeguards to support more efficient permitting. Additionally, no new mining claims can be registered in about one-third of the planned area for one year. This pause will help with joint planning efforts. However, existing mining projects and claims can still get permits and continue exploring during this time. 'Ensuring our culturally sensitive land is off limits to development, that our air, fish, land, water and wildlife will be protected, and establishing co-management protocols for responsible resource development within Tahltan territory is not only in the best interest of the Tahltan Nation, but also in the best interest of all British Columbians,' said Beverly Slater, president of the Tahltan Central Government in northwest B.C. Land-use planning will map out an efficient way of accessing and developing valuable resources in northwest B.C. to support B.C.'s economic engine. It aims to create opportunities throughout the province for billions in investment and family-supporting jobs, according to the partners. 'Last week, Premier David Eby outlined government's vision for building prosperity centred on the pillars of economic growth, reconciliation and conservation in northwestern B.C.,' said the news release. This process involves prioritizing partnerships with First Nations under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). 'These are foundations to establishing areas for Indigenous-led conservation for precious land and watersheds in some of the most pristine and rugged wilderness in Canada and for clearly identifying areas where critical minerals may be developed,' said the release. The engagement process will begin in the coming weeks. 'Safeguarding the heartlands of our territory in B.C. and building a thriving conservation economy will benefit future generations of Kaska and all people of the region,' said Chief Stephen Charlie of the Liard First Nation. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CTV News
22-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Springbank reservoir now operational as Alberta's flood season arrives
A flood diversion system west of Calgary is now operational, the province says. The Springbank off-stream reservoir has a capacity of 70.2 million cubic metres - enough to fill 28,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
