The Study Area is not big…

The Study Area is not big enough. We need to protect the whole Grand River Watershed from Dundalk to Lake Erie. Several municipalities get their drinking water from the Grand River watershed, so it is vital for future generations that we protect their drinking water. The Greenbelt currently purifies the drinking water for free. Once the land is developed, the natural services are replaced with costly municipal services to provide drinking water.

Urban river valleys should include the Grand River and its headwaters, wetland and streams. I support the submission of the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance.

Create more opportunities for land trusts to be used as a way of preserving farmland or natural heritage land.

Create a program for the province to purchase development rights to farmland. The province holds the development rights which allows the farmland to be sold as farmland for future without being at risk of development.

I support the submissions of the Ontario Headwaters Institute.

I support the submissions of the Greenbelt West Alliance.

Municipalities should be allowed to implement higher environmental, natural heritage, farmland and water protection standards.

The growth targets are grossly overestimated in Places to Grow. Demographics are changing. There is more than enough development land already designated. Younger demographics drive less, walk more, and live and work in closer proximity. This will necessitate access to naturalized areas for mental health.

Eliminate the use of Ministerial Zoning Orders (MZO’s)