Green Spaces News

Ontario’s Greenbelt

The Greenbelt was introduced in 2005 to help shape the future of the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) region of Ontario.

The GGH is located in the heart of the Great Lakes region. It contains many of Canada’s most ecologically and hydrologically significant natural environments and scenic landscapes, including the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment. These natural areas clean the air, provide drinking water, provide diverse flora and fauna habitats, including pollinators, and they provide opportunities for recreational activities that benefit public health and overall quality of life.

The GGH is one of the most dynamic and fast-growing regions in North America – it is currently home to over two-thirds of Ontario’s and more than one-quarter of Canada’s population.

The Greenbelt is the cornerstone of Ontario's Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan (Growth Plan) which is an overarching strategy that provides clarity and certainty about urban structure, where and how future growth should be accommodated and what must be protected for current and future generations.

The Greenbelt Plan together with the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP) and the Niagara Escarpment Plan (NEP), identifies where urbanization should not occur in order to provide permanent protection to the agricultural land base and the ecological and hydrological features, areas and functions occurring on this landscape.

The Greenbelt Plan was prepared and approved under the Greenbelt Act, 2005 and took effect on December 16, 2004.

Greenbelt Plan (2017) was approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, Order in Council No. 1025/2017, as an amendment to the Greenbelt Plan effective July 1, 2017.

The Greenbelt Plan, together with the Growth Plan, the NEP and the ORMCP, builds on the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) to establish a land use planning framework for the GGH that supports a thriving economy, a clean and healthy environment and social equity.

(source)

Benefits

According to the Niagara Region’s review of the original Greenbelt plan, the plan presented the following benefits:  (.pdf)

• Protects greenspace and is a symbol of green space protection
• Improves management of growth and development by:
• Providing policy support to limit outward growth and delineating where growth should not take place
• Supporting infill and higher density development
• Increases interest in brownfield development
• Increases awareness of issues affecting rural and agricultural communities
• Increases public support for farmers markets and local food initiatives
• Increases tourism and economic development opportunities in Greenbelt communities

Challenges

According to the Niagara Region’s review of the original Greenbelt plan, there was a strong opposition to the plan from the agricultural community. The plan was deemed to present the following challenges:  (.pdf)

• Failure to address agricultural viability
• Lack of flexibility in policy and application
• Conflict between Greenbelt Plan objectives
• Lack of Transparency in Plan development/implementation and the 2015 review process
• Concerns with Greenbelt Plan boundary and natural heritage and hydrologic system mapping
• Lack of awareness by the public and the Province of the realities of farming
• Too many layers and lack of coordination
• Inequity and lack of fairness
• Impact on the type and focus of regional growth

Municipalities

There are always good reasons for development:  roads, schools, hospitals, homes, businesses.  Municipalities have a tendency to be pro-development because growth brings in new property tax dollars; development charge fees; and provincial/federal funding is generally population driven.  In the end though, all new growth/population needs to be serviced with fresh food and clean water too.

Summary

Ontario’s Greenbelt permanently protects roughly 810,000 hectares of green space, farmland, vibrant communities, forests, wetlands and watersheds.  Approximately 10,000 hectares were added to the Greenbelt in 2017, including 21 new urban river valleys and associated coastal wetland areas that connect to Lake Ontario.  The Greater Golden Horseshoe is one of the fastest growing regions in North America, with a population projected to reach about 13.5 million by 2041.  The government accepted input on a study area for potential Greenbelt expansion.  Comments were submitted online through the Environmental Registry (#013-1661) until March 7, 2018 or at open houses held throughout January-February 2018.

www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page17658.aspx#impacts_of_urbanization_on_water_resources

Victor Doyle, architect of the Greenbelt, defends Ontario’s anti-sprawl policies (11-May-2017)

Oakville Mayor says developing greenbelt won't cool housing market

Specific Issues

Doug Ford’s Ontario Bill 66 (December 2018)

“We learned that he [Doug Ford] makes stuff up on the fly and is willing to say things to pander to whatever audience he’s talking to.”  The Star, Editorial, May 1, 2018

NEWS (reverse chronological order)

Date	Source	Title	Comment
2019-07-03	Environmental Defence	Why Dufferin County Needs Greenbelt Protection	Anuja Kapoor - Carl Cosack
2019-01-23	Globe and Mail	Ontario reverses course on bill that could have opened Greenbelt for development	Jeff Gray AO Info - Ontario Bill 66
2019-01-23	Twitter	ON Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing Steve Clark tweeted that Schedule 10 is out Bill66 (.jpg)	[policy by tweet]
2019-01-02	Farms.com	Looking ahead at Ontario’s Greenbelt	Lauren Arva AO Info - Farmland Development
2018-12-07	TVO.org	Tories’ bill could punch factory-sized holes in the Greenbelt	John Michael McGrath AO Info - Ontario Bill 66
2018-11-08	Globe and Mail	Planner behind Ontario’s Greenbelt wins discipline case	Jeff Gray AO Whistleblowers
2018-05-17	DurhamRegion.com	Scugog green with envy for those who can grow	Chris Hall - Mayor Tom Rowett
2018-05-01	The Star	Opinion:  Greenbelt about-face speaks volumes about Doug Ford	Editorial
2018-05-01	Globe and Mail	Doug Ford recants vow to allow Greenbelt development	Jeff Gray
2018-04-30	CBC News	Doug Ford plans to open up 'big chunk' of Greenbelt for development	Kate Bueckert
2018-04-30	Youtube / PressProgress	Doug Ford’s secret deal to sell the greenbelt to developers	PressProgress
2018-04-16	Government of Ontario	News Release: Ontario Ensuring Greener Growth in the Greater Golden Horseshoe	Ministry of Municipal Affairs
2018-02-16	WellingtonAdvertiser.com	Growing Greenbelt could have unintended negative outcomes for agriculture: Paoli
2018-02-14	MadHunt.com	Greenbelt expansion could kill new development in Adj-Tos, planner
2018-02-13	Orangeville.com / Orangeville Banner	Greenbelt plan would hurt Dufferin County’s ability to meet province’s growth targets: report	Chris Halliday
2018-02-12	TheRecord.com	Public forum explores possible expansion of greenbelt into Waterloo Region	Johanna Weidner
2018-02-01	Orangeville.com / Orangeville Banner	Province comes to Orangeville for input on water resource protection	James Matthews
2018-02-01	Barrie Today	Farmers say proposed Greenbelt expansion ‘another level of legislation we don’t need’	Wendy King
2018-01-11	Orangeville Today	Greenbelt Expansion Open House Scheduled for Orangeville
2018-01-10	DurhamRegion.com	Ajax wants lands in Pickering included in Greenbelt	Keith Gilligan
2018-01-08	CTV News	Potential Greenbelt expansion strikes a nerve with Innisfil	Mike Walker
2017-12-08	Toronto Star	Ontario may expand Greenbelt to protect water supply	Tess Kalinowskic
2017-12-07	Ontario Greenbelt Alliance	Province’s plan to expand Greenbelt protection to vulnerable water systems applauded but bigger area needed	“bluebelt”
2017-12-07	Government of Ontario / news.ontario.ca	Ontario Consulting on Greenbelt Expansion – Province Seeking Public Input to Protect Important Water Resources
2017-07-01	Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing	Greenbelt Plan (2017)
2017-05-11	Globe and Mail	Ontario’s Greenbelt architect launches defence of anti-sprawl policies	Jeff Gray - Victor Doyle
2017-03-31	CBC News	Oakville Mayor says developing greenbelt won't cool housing market	Amanda Grant
2017-02-17	Orangeville.com / Orangeville Banner	Township urges Ontario address 'devastating' impact of tax incentive programs	Chris Halliday [- is there a change to greenbelt tax assessments?] - Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program
2016-12-14	Global News	How developers are trying to build on Ontario’s protected Greenbelt land	Gil Shochat
2016-12-09	Wellington Advertiser	Arnott supports greenbelt exclusion around 401	Mike Robinson - Ted Arnott, MPP Wellington-Halton Hills
2016-12-07	Financial Post	Greenbelt likely contributed to tighter housing market, Ontario bureaucrats told Ottawa in June	Garry Marr
2016-10-05	Toronto Star	Land supply not to blame for rising home prices: Study	Tess Kalinowski
2015-10-21	Torontoist	What’s Next for Ontario’s Greenbelt?	Andrew Reeves
2015-05-21	Toronto Star	Ontario’s Greenbelt encourages smarter urban growth	David Suzuki, Faisal Moola
2013-08	Niagara Region	Niagara Region’s Greenbelt Plan Review (.pdf)
2013-03-08	Hamilton Spectator	Province pays SMC $15M to quash quarry proposal	Dianne Cornish - 530 acres of agricultural land in GB - AO Info: Flamborough Quarry proposal
2012-05-15	Greenbelt.ca	Evaluating the Economic Benefits of Greenbelt Assets	Econometric Research Limited
2011-08-19	This.org	How Ontario’s Greenbelt is failing farmers – and the local food movement	Chelsea Murray

More Information:

Ontario Greenbelt Alliance (www.greenbeltalliance.ca)

Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation (www.greenbelt.ca)

-- OntarioGreenbelt Youtube channel

Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition (www.simcoecountygreenbelt.ca)

Earthroots’ Southern Ontario Greenspaces Campaign (www.earthroots.org)

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Disclaimer: This information has been compiled through private amateur research for the purpose of allowing the reader to make an informed and educated decision.  However, while the information is believed to be reliable, accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

https://awareontario.nfshost.com/AWARE-Ontario/Issues/GS_Greenbelt/Greenbelt.htm

#Greenbelt #ProtectOurWater #FoodAndWaterFirst #FarmersFeedCities

APPENDIX B

January 25 - Stakeholder Meeting

Toronto (Booked)

MORN (9:30 -11:30 am)

Ramada Plaza

January 31- Open House

Barrie (Booked)

5:30-8:00pm

Southshore Community Centre

February 6 - Open House

Guelph (Booked)

5:30-8:00pm

Italian Canadian Club

February 8 - Open House

Orangeville (Booked)

5:30-8:00pm

Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre

February 15 - Open House

Alliston (Booked)

5:30-8:00pm

Alliston Memorial Arena

February 20 - Open House

Brantford (Booked)

6:00-8:30pm

Branlyn Community Centre

February 22 - Open House

Kitchener (Booked)

5:30-8:00pm

Tannery Event Centre

FYI: Greenbelt Expansion – x Open House (date)

The Province of Ontario is proposing expansion of the Greenbelt.  They are seeking public input on a study area which includes Dufferin County.  A 90-day public consultation period ends on March 7, 2018 (EBR #013-1661).

Ontario’s Greenbelt permanently protects about 810,000 hectares of green space, farmland, vibrant communities, forests, wetlands and watersheds bordering the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH).  The GGH is one of the fastest growing regions in North America with a population projected to increase almost 50% to 13.5 million by 2041. 

How much food will 13.5 million people eat?  Enough to warrant protecting our food land and water.

#Greenbelt #ProtectOurWater #FoodAndWaterFirst #FarmersFeedCities

www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page17658.aspx#impacts_of_urbanization_on_water_resources

EBR #013-1661

http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTMzNzcz&statusId=MjAzNDU4&language=en

APPENDIX C

WaterScape – Peel/Dufferin (6-Feb-2018)

Discussing the Greenbelt Expansion with a focus on Protecting Water for Future Generations

Whole Village, 20725 Shaws Creek Rd, Alton, L7K 1L7

Tue, 6 February 2018

5:30 PM – 8:00 PM EST

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/waterscape-peeldufferin-tickets-42684653949

Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), Ontario Environment Network (OEN), and Ontario Headwaters Institute (OHI) have quickly put together community discussion groups to

brainstorm about the Greenbelt expansion with a special focus on protecting Ontario’s water.   

We are partners in Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at 5:30pm at Whole Village Farm, south east of Orangeville.  If you are available, then I encourage you to attend.

Please pass on the information to whomever you think would participate.

APPENDIX D

Seven study areas:

1. Waterloo and Paris/Galt Moraine complex (Waterloo Region, Brant County, Wellington County)
2. Orangeville Moraine (Wellington County, Dufferin County)
3. Escarpment Area Moraines (Dufferin County, Simcoe County)
4. Oro Moraine (Simcoe County)
5. Nottawasaga River Corridor (Dufferin County, Simcoe County)
6. Important surface water and recharge features in southeast Simcoe County
7. Catchment Areas and Wetlands West of Minesing (Dufferin County, Simcoe County)