I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my concern about the proposed amendments to the Regional Official Plan for Waterloo Region, which would allow for the conversion of farmland in the Regional Recharge Area to permit residential and/or industrial development. I urge you to reject the proposed amendments, and to uphold the limits on farmland conversion outlined in Waterloo Region’s previously approved 2022 Regional Official Plan.

In its original submission, the Region of Waterloo made an evidence-based decision to limit the conversion of farmland for such uses, citing the expert advice of its Engineering and Environmental Services staff. In a Report to Council on March 20, 2024 (EES-WAS-24-001), the Engineering and Environmental Services staff reiterated the compelling reasons for maintaining this limit and outlined the potential consequences of removing the restriction on farmland redevelopment in the Regional Recharge Area.

In summary:
• Because of its sand and gravel composition, the Regional Recharge Area allows huge amounts of snowmelt and rainfall to infiltrate deep into the ground and replenish the aquifers that supply our drinking water.
• Development reduces the amount of water reaching the aquifers by 50-80% (depending on whether it's residential or commercial/industrial development).
• Thus developing (paving over) the Regional Recharge Area threatens the quantity of our water supply.
• Development in this area will put more road salt into our water supply. This threatens the quality of our water supply. Reduced water supply will limit the number of new homes that can be built throughout the Region.
• Consequently, building more new homes in the Regional Recharge Area could mean less new homes that can be built elsewhere in the Region!
• Alternatively, it could make it necessary to build pipeline to Lake Erie, at an estimated cost of $2 billion!

In addition
• The Regional Recharge Area sustains a wide range of aquatic habitats and ecosystems.
• The Regional Recharge Area contributes a high percentage of baseflow to the Grand River, its tributary rivers, and cold-water streams: this maintains the health of the Grand River.
• This baseflow dilutes wastes and pollution flowing into the Region's wastewater treatment plants and ensures our public health safety. If development on the Regional Recharge Area decreases the amount of baseflow, we may need expensive new wastewater treatment plants that can function with smaller baseflow.

I hope that in the interests of evidence-based policy and long-term sustainability, you will reject the proposed amendments and support a sustainable development approach in Waterloo Region.