October 4 at the Foundry - 5-8 pm
Meet and greet your local candidates at the Muskoka Foundry.  See who is running at this LINK.

Pose your questions for the Bracebridge Municipal Election Candidates
Questions from the public are being gathered to pose to the candidates of the Bracebridge Municipal Election.  The questions will be reviewed and the top 5 issues will be posed to the candidates.  Questions may be submitted until Sept. 19, 2022.

The candidates will respond to the questions 5 questions selected, and the results will be printed on a hand-out that will be available at the Bracebridge Municipal Candidates Meet & Greet evening on Tues. Oct. 4 from 5pm-8pm at the Muskoka Foundry, sponsored by Ares Law Professional Corporation and the Muskoka Foundry.  Everyone is invited to attend!  For more information about the event please CLICK HERE.


Municipal Election October 24:  
Vote for candidates that will make smart land use decisions that are in the best interests of the public and protect the environment in October.  Did you know you can vote in more than one municipality if you have property?  Learn More at https://vote4muskoka.ca/

Bracebridge current council and appointed Mayor along with former Bracebridge Mayor Graydon Smith have made devastating decisions over the past years that have affected our environment and character of our community.  We need to build healthy, affordable, sustainable communities without encroaching on our endangered species, wetlands and natural habitats.  Stop the Sprawl.  Elect people who care about environmental values and make sound planning decisions. 

Now, more than ever, Muskoka faces threats from irresponsible development that threaten our lakes and our experience of Muskoka now and for future generations.   We need a Town Council and a Mayor who prioritize the environment, responsible taxation and responsible planning and building on our shorelines.  A need for affordable housing should be a priority and not new expensive housing for the tourists and those who wish to invest and rent out as AirBNB's.
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Provincial Election June 2: The Green Party candidate Matt Richter ran an unprecedented close second and held the popular vote. Unfortunately our elected Ontario Conservative government has ruinous plans to build more highways, encourage urban sprawl and disregard the environmental protections of our most vulnerable and vital lands.  What this means is less habitat for endangered species, more carbon emissions and increased threats to our waterways. The Ontario Auditor General, Bonnie Lysyk, said the Ford government isn’t following its own laws to consult the public on significant environmental issues and failed to protect species at risk from building and development.  We must continue to hold our current government and municipal councillors accountable for their decisions and continue to ask them to protect Muskoka.

UPDATES ON DEVELOPMENTS IN BRACEBRIDGE:
UPDATE JANUARY 2023 - Upper Vista is now being advertised on Realtor.ca.  When a member of the public questioned the development as they live on Santa's Village Road, the response from Cheryl Kelley at the Town of Bracebridge was that there is no application filed by the Ted Zhou or any developer for these condos and they have not been approved.  

​UPPER VISTA MUSKOKA - (Ted) Jiancheng Zhou buys 470 acres for Upper Vista Development in Bracebridge
Source: https://condonow.com/Upper-Vista-Muskoka
UPDATE - This CONDO development proposed by Ted Jiancheng Zhou, a controversial billionaire with ties to the mainland China’s ruling elite, will do nothing to address the affordable housing shortage in Bracebridge.     Who seems to benefit most is the developer, Zhou, who the Globe and Mail reported on as being of concern to Canadian security experts. 

The Globe and Mail also reported on Jiancheng Zhou's political influence on municipal politicians.  Source: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-security-experts-question-political-influence-of-toronto-developer/.

The Fraser institute elaborated on the Globe's concerns about Chinese government influence in Canadian politics and singled out Ted Jiancheng Zhou, noting that "wealthy developer Ted Jiancheng Zhou, with deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party, has become a major donor to Canadian politicians at all levels of government, raising security concerns about Chinese influence in Canadian politics."   
Source: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/article/china-sets-debt-traps-threatens-militarily

MUSKOKA ROYALE COLLEGE - 443 acres - George Chen to develop international boarding school
Serious concerns are here in Bracebridge as George Chen, a developer, plans to build Muskoka Royale College on 443 acres of the 830 acre parcel he owns.  The massive institution, which would host 1800 students, would not only jeopardize the vulnerable ecosystem of wetlands and habitat surrounding Henry Marsh, destroying 30,000 to 50,000 trees by the developers estimate, but also put pressure on community services and amenities.  As Muskoka Royale College doesn't have water access for its students and campers, there will be overcrowding at nearby Kirby Beach and Strawberry Bay Beach.  Outgoing Mayor Graydon Smith and Town council approved the changes to the Official Plan and rezoning to allow this development which will destroy lands the size of 33 CFL Football fields to go forward despite requests by 5300 citizens for these much needed  environmental and impact studies.

• Ontario Wetlands Evaluation Study
• Compatibility Study
• Viability Study
• Update to the 2004 Environmental Assessment for the West Transportation Bypass Corridor
• Further Species at Risk Studies
• Other studies that were not completed were noise study, light affect study, hydrology study.  

A documented 204 species of which 20 are of concern and 7 are endangered will be at risk, not only by the construction of the development and the buildings themselves, but also the presence of thousands of people on this fragile land.  In addition the proposed bypass will run right through wetlands and has not had an environmental assessment in decades.  This has to be stopped and an appeal was launched by the South Bracebridge Environmental Group and a hearing commenced on September 20, 2022 and will resume on Thursday, January 12, 2023.

​FORMER BRACEBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL - 5.7 acres - Purchased by Chinese-Canadian billionaire Xiao Jianhua
UPDATE Sept. 2022 the property is now listed commercially for 7 million dollars and Xiao Jianhua was sentenced to 13 years in prison.  READ HERE
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This once beautiful historic site is simply a 15 year old eyesore and white elephant sitting empty although it is still being advertised by the developer it is slated for luxury condos.  The latest owner is Lalu Upper Beach Holdings linked to vanished Chinese-Canadian billionaire, Xiao Jianhua.  Global News shows a map with a pinned location in Bracebridge and states it was purchased in 2017 for 4.3 million by Lalu Canada/Unexus Group stating a value of 100 million.    Read the full story here: https://globalnews.ca/news/8637896/xiao-jianhua-family-companies-150-million-toronto-real-estate/
Source: https://www.unexusmuskoka.com/model-suite

​571 MANITOBA STREET - ECONERGY GROUP -RETIREMENT HOME
​Even though two developers from Gravenhurst told Bracebridge Town council and Mayor they were in opposition to this development as there is not enough demand for retirement housing in Bracebridge until years from now, it was still approved.  

Just down the road on Manitoba Street a swath of trees that were removed, every single one of them for a new development of UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING.  This shows the council's total lack of control on developers and the environment.  It is shocking and unconscionable  that this happens on the Town of Bracebridge's council, planners and Mayor's watch.  They are the same council and Mayor that said they will protect the Henry Marsh and surrounding wetlands, and we just can't trust them.  The former Mayor is now the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Source: https://southmuskoka.doppleronline.ca/committee-approves-plans-for-four-storey-retirement-residence/

Summary Background:
Without any further requirement, the District of Muskoka approved the Town of Bracebridge recommendations on the rezoning and Official Plan Amendment that would allow the Muskoka Royale College to be built.  This, despite so many residents’ demands for an Ontario Wetland Evaluation Study to understand and protect the fragile environment, a Species at Risk study to protect endangered and threatened animals and so many unanswered questions about the impacts on Bracebridge.  
SBEPG Inc. appealed the approval of the developer’s plan to the OLT (Formerly the OMB and LPAT).  

Key Dates:    

• September 19, 2022 is the start of the 23 day OLT hearing appealing the Town and District’s approval of the Muskoka Royale College.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO JOIN IN

Thanks for visiting our blog, and for caring about South Bracebridge's wetlands! 

Check back for updates on the progress of our request to the Town of Bracebridge to require an Ontario Wetlands Evaluation before approving a proposed development right on top of our wetlands, and actions you can take to make sure this responsible step is taken.

​Together, we can make sure that if these wetlands are provincially significant, they get classified as such and gain the protections that come with that designation.