Ontario's Greenbelt has a…

Ontario's Greenbelt has a proven track record in providing protection for surface and groundwater, farmland, wetlands, forests and other natural areas. It provides a baseline of permanent protection that gives municipalities strong guidelines to follow.

I am very pleased to see water resources in Simcoe County included in the plans for expanding the Greenbelt. The county boasts important surface water features such as Lake Simcoe and the Nottawasaga River; the internationally recognized Minesing Wetland; the Oro Moraine that feeds water into the Minesing; and the vitally important Simcoe Uplands that are a groundwater recharge area for the region. All of these features provide drinking water for residents, irrigation for farmland and habitat for fish and birds. The forested lands surrounding these rivers, lakes and streams provide natural corridors linking the Niagara Escarpment to the Canadian Shield and south to the Oak Ridges Moraine. These linkages provide transit routes for wildlife and birds, especially in the face of increasing climate change.

In fact, these features are our best resources to mitigate and adapt to climate change and protect the biodiversity of the province. But they are threatened by overdevelopment and resource extraction. Aggregate mining especially poses a major threat to water sources. The developments that depend on these aggregates also exacerbate the effects of climate change.

Simcoe County needs the expansion of the Greenbelt to provide consistent and permanent protection for the green spaces and water resources that support life. Greenbelt policies need to be supported with investments in monitoring and implementation. The public needs to be engaged in supporting Greenbelt policies and opposing any loopholes or exceptions or policies that undermine the effectiveness of the Greenbelt. Increasingly citizens realize that our health and well-being, and that of generations to come, depends on our actions and the actions of our governments now.

[Original Comment ID: 213431]