Monday, April 19, 2021 The…

Monday, April 19, 2021

The Honourable Steve Clark
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
17th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 2E5

Re: ERO No. 019-3136

Attention of Minister Clark:

These are comments on the expansion of the Greenbelt regarding how it should be expanded and enhanced. The Greenbelt is important to the Citizens of Ontario for the farmland, drinking water and natural environment that are an integral part of it. The lands within the Greenbelt need to be permanently protected and preserved from any form of development. The Greenbelt must not be the subject of Ministerial Zoning Orders, municipal zoning variances and planning contrary to the Greenbelt.

Comments on the Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on the initial focus area of the Study Area of the Paris Galt Moraine?

Protecting and preserving the Paris Galt Moraine and including it in the Greenbelt are a good first step. Like the rest of the Greenbelt, it is the source of many rivers and streams in the study area. By protecting the water source, local citizens are provided with clean drinking water. By also protecting the natural environment on the moraine, the water source is protected and kept clean and pristine. This is important for the citizens in communities that depend on the moraine particularly with population growth, climate change, maintenance of biodiversity, and prevention of extreme weather events such as flooding and drought. The same principles must be applied to the entire Greenbelt and any moraines not considered in the present planning.

2. What are the considerations in moving from a Study Area to more defined boundary of the Paris Galt Moraine?

The boundary should be set up using a science-based approach such that all water sources in the moraine are protected, clean and safe drinking water is assured for citizens in communities adjacent to or on the moraine, natural environments that help perpetuate the water sources are protected and preserved and enhance the natural environment to ameliorate the effects of climate change.

3. What are your thoughts on the initial focus of adding, expanding and further protecting Urban River Valleys?

ALL Urban River Valleys that run from moraines in the Greenbelt to Great Lakes and inland lakes need to be protected and preserved. For that matter, their entire watersheds need to be part of the Greenbelt planning, protection and preservation. At present, many of these are planned for in the jurisdictions of Conservation Authorities and local municipalities but are not included in the Greenbelt itself. This must change.

4. Do you have suggestions for other potential areas to grow the Greenbelt?

a) The Greenbelt at present seems truncated at Northumberland County. The Greenbelt should be extended east to Quinte West.

b) Extend the Moraine eastward to join up the National Capital Greenbelt and lands that
are being considered for the International Algonquin to Adirondacks Collaborative via
the Frontenac Arch.

c) Add the Land Between by extending the Greenbelt northward to Georgian Bay and adding lands west of Lake Simcoe.

d) As mentioned in Question 3 earlier - include any river and stream valleys not currently in the moraine with Greenbelt planning for their watersheds.

e) Two glacial features to include in the Greenbelt are the former Glacial Lakes Algonquin and Iroquois shorelines.

5. How should we balance or prioritize any potential Greenbelt expansion with the other provincial priorities mentioned above?

Prioritize water sources and the natural environments that protect and enhance them. Without the natural environment, without clean and pristine water, how can any one citizen expect individuals and communities to exist? Therefore the Greenbelt must be planned for properly, protected and preserved for now and future citizens.

a) Do not develop Greenbelt lands such as farmlands and moraines where water sources may be contained.

b) Forget about any further 400 series highways through the Greenbelt planning areas.
There is better planning when the economy is shifting to renewable energies and reusable products.

c) Ministerial Zoning Orders (MZO) need to be reconsidered and repealed.

d) Aggregate extraction is the anathema of the Greenbelt. By allowing aggregate extraction, water tables are lowered, natural environments degraded and the clean and pristine water that citizens have come to expect is contaminated. Aggregate extractions are contrary to the good planning of the Greenbelt and must not be allowed.

6. Are there other priorities that should be considered?

Do the following:

a) Consult with and heed the counsel of nature organizations in the Greenbelt area.

b) Consider at all times that Ontario and its citizens are in a period of climate change.

c) There are people who have lived on the lands of Greenbelt for 10 000 plus years. The Indigenous peoples of the lands of the Greenbelt must be consulted, heeded and their counsel listened to.

d) By safe guarding the water sources and preserving the natural environment of the
Greenbelt, the Province of Ontario can leave a great legacy to future Ontario citizens.

Thank you for the opportunity to make comments of the Greenbelt expansion initiative.
Hopefully these comments will be viewed, heeded and included in the Plan.