The Ontario Provincial…

The Ontario Provincial Government and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing are proposing changes to the Greenbelt Plan, Greenbelt Area boundary regulation (O. Reg. 59/05), and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (O. Reg. 140/02).

The proposed amendments have been summarized on the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO), as follows:

• Remove lands from the Greenbelt Area that could be suitable for residential development in the near term
• Add lands in the Paris Galt Moraine to the Greenbelt Area, designated as Protected Countryside with a Natural Heritage System
• Redesignate lands in the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Area that could be suitable for residential development in the near term

I have reviewed the proposed amendments and provide the following review and comments.
Summary of changes:
• Removal of 15 areas of the Greenbelt is actually 18 areas according to the mapping
• One area of Greenbelt Redesignation
• One area of ORM Redesignation
• One area of Greenbelt Addition

My comments on the proposed changes are as follows:
1. There is an apparent conflict of interest and abuse of power by opening the Greenbelt to development.
2. This also appears to be a land swap and does nothing to create affordable housing.
3. The principal behind this land swap is off-base, which will set a precedent, and breaks the trust between the people and the government.
4. Prior to the last Provincial elevation, this government was considering expanding the Greenbelt, however it is now apparent that it was a bait and switch to get votes.
5. I do not see any evidence of sustainable land use planning.
6. Most of the Greenbelt removals will reduce the area of wildlife corridors and ecosystems.
7. This creates an externality when the cost of the lost ecosystem is not factored in, even though a land swap is proposed, it is not equivalent, and neither is mitigation banking (i.e. ecosystem offsetting).

The Greenbelt, like many natural heritage features, provides essential ecological, hydrologic, and hydrogeologic functions. It sustains and enhances wildlife corridors and gives society a chance to manage these lands with conservation in mind. The Greenbelt also provides social and health benefits. We need to have functional ecosystems near our cities. The long-term socioeconomic benefits are enhanced when we build sustainably and in harmony with our environment.

Instead of bargaining pieces of the Greenbelt between developers and normal people (since these developers are not normal), give Municipalities better tools to do their job and work with and represent the public in order to create sustainable growth plans and development.