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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

It's over now, at 10:12 p.m. Thank you for joining me.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Painful. Just a painful meeting, gosh.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Leal weighs in now, saying his father who had worked for GE died of lung cancer. "So anyone who doesn't think I care about any of these issues? You're. Dead. Wrong," he says. "No one has monopoly on issues, that they care more than another."

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

AND council has just voted 6-5 to declare it has no interest in placing any heritage designation on any of the buildings planned for demolition. The vote is 6-5 in favour, with Crowley, Bierk, Lachica Baldwin and Riel voting against it

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

BUT the motion of chair Leal is upheld.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Ah - @joylachica.bsky.social now challenging the chair (Leal) on whether it's possible for council to de-list the property from the heritage registry.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

"It's their jurisdiction - not ours," says Findlay.

Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

It's up to the MOE and Ministry of Labour, Findlay says, to keep tabs on that. And he adds that these have "very robust practices," to oversee demolition of toxic buildings. Over his 20 years as CBO, says Findlay, they sent field experts often to demolitions big and small, when toxins are involved.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Findlay now responding to question from Riel; Findlay says the CBO has "zero" power to insist on environmental cleanup, or to involve themselves with environmental aspects of a demolition. The building division doesn't deal with that - "We have zero involvement with that. Period."

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Findlay says the permit to tear it down was applied for, but not issued and the application was withdrawn.

Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Findlay now being asked about the claims that the smokestack is too contaminated for demolition. Baldwin asks whether this stack was in poor condition and in danger of falling.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Based on Section 4 of the Heritage Act, @joylachica.bsky.social is calling the de-listing by council of the GE site on the heritage registry out of order.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

@alexbierk.bsky.social amendment carries 6-5; in favour, along with @alexbierk.bsky.social, are @joylachica.bsky.social, @mattcrowley.bsky.social, Coun. Don Vassiliadis, Coun. Andrew Beamer, Coun. Keith Riel.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

@lesleyparnell.bsky.social says the motion ought to ask GE for their health and safety plan: "I think that's who you have to ask. It's their site, their responsibility and their cost."

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

But she says these questions that the city staff would be asked to answer, in the amendment, are for GE Vernova to answer.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

@lesleyparnell.bsky.social says "we all care v.v. deeply about the community and the neighbours."

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

@alexbierk.bsky.social says he's not asking staff to come up with a health and safety plan; he is asking for an outline that would show exactly who would need to be involved and how a health and safety plan could be developed.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Duguay says his only concern is that this amendment ought to apply to all brownfields - not just GE.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

@joylachica.bsky.social calls a point of order, saying that's a disparaging remark to say there's no concern for other brownfields. "I care as much and more about the Outboard Marine property, because it's owned by us."

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

There are gas stations and waterfront lands that are still contaminated, Duguay says. "I am concerned about the particular attention given to this site," that are not being given to others.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Duguay says the safety of the neighbourhood ought to be paramount - yet that discussion didn't happen "on another site" where there had been contamination (he doesn't name it - he means OMC site, I would guess).

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Coun. Kevin Duguay says the motion would have been better applied to all brownfields - "not just GE."

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

Baldwin though says there's no timeline on this amendment. And he doesn't know when any health and safety plan might emerge, and whether it will have any impact.

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

To ignore the toxic legacy of GE, @joylachica.bsky.social says, "I think would be naive and wishful thinking."

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Joelle Kovach @joellekovach.bsky.social · 3h

@joylachica.bsky.social: "This is simply asking staff to provide us with a health and safety plan... I think it speaks to the special situation that is GE."

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