Dear Madam/Sir Please accept…

Dear Madam/Sir

Please accept this input as Environment Hamilton's formal comments on the province's proposal to grow the Greenbelt. We support the inclusion of the Paris Galt Moraine as part of the Greenbelt. We also encourage the province to consider designating more urban river valleys in the Hamilton area. We know that our municipal planning staff have recommended the addition of Coldwater Creek in the west end of the municipality. Spring Creek - which connects to Coldwater Creek is another URV worth considering for designation. Finally, Red Hill Creek & Valley is another significant URV system - made up of publicly owned lands - that should be designated and recognized as a significant valley corridor running from the Niagara Escarpment to Hamilton Harbour/ Lake Ontario.

We also must raise the issue of the rural lands that exist between urban Hamilton and the designated Greenbelt area. Much of these lands are prime agricultural land worthy of protection. In light of the climate emergency and recognizing that we have already lost too much of our prime agricultural land in Southern Ontario. We urge the province to take this opportunity to ensure more prime agricultural land is protected as part of this effort to grow the Greenbelt. We have heard government representatives describe this current effort to expand the Greenbelt as a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Given this reality, we believe it is that much more important to make additions that reflect the significance of the opportunity. In Hamilton that would mean adding all prime agricultural land currently located in the rural 'whitebelt' area - land that is currently at risk of being consumed by urban expansion.

Appended, you will also find remarks recently shared with area MPP Donna Skelly, regarding the government's proposal to grow the Greenbelt.

Thank you
Lynda Lukasik, PhD
Executive Director
Environment Hamilton