Legislation will set stage for waterfront development.

Parry Sound is poised to take advantage of new provincial legislation aimed at reviving old commercial and industrial sites.

As part of their Smart Growth strategy, the government believes recycling old brownfield sites will attract new business to communities while safeguarding the environment.

Months before the legislation is expected to pass at Queen's Park, the town of Parry Sound has submitted a community improvement plan to the province under the proposed legislation that includes a cluster of waterfront. properties including the former Ultramar property.

The legislation, known as the Brownfields Statute Amendments Act, deals with brownfield cleanup and redevelopment, environmental liability, planning processes and financing.

It incorporates recommendations garnered from two years of public consultations with the a panel of provincially appointed brownfield experts.

Brownfields are lands in which industrial and commercial activity has taken place in the past. The property may be vacant, underused or abandoned and may have soil or water contamination.

Developers often are reluctant to invest in brownfield sites due to potential liability for any environmental problems.

The legislation sets out rules for curbing environmental liability and the financial implications. It also provides brownfield owners with property tax relief for cleanup, along with well-defined rules for cleanup and provides more flexibility for communities to designate improvement areas.

The pro-growth action plan, which has been panned by environmental groups, would allow municipalites to otter grants to property owners for environmental cleanup.

Municipalities are currently not allowed to grant tax breaks under the Municipal Act, but they will be permitted to freeze or cancel the municipal portion of property taxes on brownfields that are undergoing cleanup.