Roundtable Discussions to Inform the Potential 10-Year Coordinated Land Use Plan Review and the Future Success of Ontario’s Greenbelt
The Greenbelt is a unique asset critical to Ontario’s future. In 2025, we anticipate a planned second 10-year Review of the Greenbelt Plan, in coordination with the Niagara Escarpment Plan and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.
The Greenbelt Foundation is dedicated to protecting, maintaining and enhancing the health and connectivity of Greenbelt systems, rural economic prosperity now and into the future. The success of the Review and future of the Greenbelt necessitates that we understand the value and contributions of the Greenbelt to the province and how the Greenbelt needs to evolve and respond to present trends, such as population growth, agriculture and agri-food needs, water resource and natural system pressures, and the increasing impacts of climate change.
Greenbelt Foundation Priorities for the Review
We have prepared a report that sets out the Foundation’s priorities and vision for a successful 2025 Review. This report was informed by our previous work including research, policy analysis, and stakeholder engagement. Stakeholder insights were crucial in identifying areas of concern and opportunities for improvement.
The report includes a high-level overview of our policy priorities, along with detailed policy recommendations and suggestions for improving oversight, support, and collaboration.
Read the report here: Priorities for the Coordinated 10-Year Review and Long-Term Vision of the Greenbelt
Stakeholder Engagement
Insights and perspectives on these issues from a broad group of interest holders will inform our priorities for the Review and shape our long-term view of the success of the Greenbelt. The Foundation initiated a series of issue-specific stakeholder engagements in November 2024, with follow up sessions held in late April and early May 2025. Highlights and insights from those discussions are available below. We are currently developing a comprehensive summary of key policy positions and recommendations.
- Agriculture and Agri-Food
- Natural Heritage Systems & Biodiversity
- Water Resources and Hydrological Systems
- Greenspace, Tourism and Recreation
- Communities & Regional Growth
Amendment No. 4
On August 20, 2024, the Ontario government approved Amendment No. 4 to the Greenbelt Plan, which seeks to maintain Greenbelt protections and address ambiguities created with the repeal of the Growth Plan. The current lack of detail in Amendment No. 4 may unintentionally weaken existing protections unless the policies are made clear and embedded in the Greenbelt Plan or PPS.
The Greenbelt Foundation undertook a detailed comparative policy analysis of the former and new policy frameworks for the Greenbelt, identifying thematic gaps between the plans, inter-plan references that create dependencies and relevance and impact to the Greenbelt Area and Plans. Stakeholder interviews validated and refined our results and provided additional insights on Ontario’s evolving land use planning policies and actions needed to strengthen Greenbelt protection to effectively address ongoing and emerging challenges.
The Foundation has prepared a summary of this work which sets out policy areas that need to be addressed through Amendment No. 4: Protecting Ontario’s Greenbelt Through Strategic Policies