Ontario Government’s Announcement of Permanent Protection for the Greenbelt
A thriving Greenbelt is a thriving Ontario.
The Greenbelt Foundation applauds the Government of Ontario’s decision to reverse the removal of land from Ontario’s Greenbelt, signaling a return to permanent protection of its critical water, natural heritage and agricultural systems. Our Ontario Greenbelt contains the productive farmlands that feed us, the landscapes that clean our water, the trees that filter our air, and supports the health and economies of numerous communities big and small in the most densely populated area of the country.
The incredible outpouring of support for the Greenbelt and the Foundation’s work over the past ten months has been a testament to the strength of our community and a reminder of the place of importance that the Greenbelt holds in the lives of every Ontarian. We thank each community member, partner, advocate and citizen who gave voice to the necessity of permanently protecting these lands.
The Greenbelt’s agricultural system of connected, working farmland is the cornerstone of southern Ontario’s rural economy and provides residents of the Greater Golden Horseshoe with a reliable and diverse source of local food and drink. It is home to the province’s only two specialty crop areas – the Holland Marsh and the Niagara Tender Fruit and Grape Area – whose fertile soils and unique climate conditions allow Greenbelt farmers to grow crops that can’t be grown anywhere else.
As Ontario grows, we will need even more of what the Greenbelt provides to support strong, climate resilient communities. The Greenbelt Foundation will continue to work with partners, including the Ontario government, to conduct research and execute programs that strengthen the Greenbelt and all it provides.
Expansion of the Greenbelt to Include Additional Urban River Valleys
The Greenbelt Foundation Supports the Expansion of the Greenbelt to Include Additional Urban River Valleys
TORONTO, March 25, 2022—On February 17, 2021, the Government of Ontario announced its intention to grow the quantity and quality of the Greenbelt to include additional water systems. Yesterday, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) launched the next phase in its consultation on Growing the Greenbelt.
Urban River Valleys are essential connectivity corridors between the suburban and rural lands of the Greenbelt and Lake Ontario, providing our communities with greenspaces to explore, clean water and air, and reduced flood risks.”
This phase of the consultation (Phase 2) will seek feedback on the addition of 13 new and expanded Urban River Valleys and ideas for adding more Urban River Valleys to the Greenbelt, which could include tributaries or parcels of publicly owned land. Details are available on the Environmental Registry of Ontario’s website here.
The Greenbelt Foundation supports these proposed additions to the Greenbelt. Urban River Valleys are essential connectivity corridors between the suburban and rural lands of the Greenbelt and Lake Ontario, providing our communities with greenspaces to explore, clean water and air, and reduced flood risks.
The permanence of the Greenbelt is critical to its success. Therefore, the Foundation welcomes Minister Clark’s statement that “This proposal is about growing the size and quality of the Greenbelt, and the government will not consider the removal of any lands from the existing Greenbelt, nor will it consider any changes that reduce existing policy protections in the Greenbelt.” Maintaining the integrity of the Greenbelt boundaries is essential to environmental sustainability, economic vitality and smart growth in the Greater Golden Horseshoe region.
We appreciate the government’s commitment to protecting the existing Greenbelt area and, to this end, will continue to advise the Government of Ontario to reject proposals from municipal governments that undermine its policies and integrity, including York Region (in relation to ROPA 7) and Whitchurch-Stouffville (in relation to including sensitive Oak Ridge’s Moraine lands in settlement area).
The Foundation would also like to emphasize the Greenbelt Plan works in tandem with the Growth Plan to provide clarity and certainty about what needs to be permanently protected for current and future generations. In an era of increasing climate disruptions and rapid population growth, we believe there are additional agricultural areas and nature features that should be considered for inclusion in an expanded Greenbelt. For example, the Paris-Galt Moraine and critical headwaters such as the Carruthers Creek. We welcome the government’s commitment to an ongoing process to Grow the Greenbelt that is so vital for the region’s continued health, prosperity, and resilience.
To learn more about Growing the Greenbelt, click here.
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About Greenbelt Foundation:
Greenbelt Foundation is a charitable organization, solely dedicated to ensuring the Greenbelt remains permanent, protected and prosperous. We make the right investments in its interconnected natural, agricultural, and economic systems, to ensure a working, thriving Greenbelt for all. Ontario’s Greenbelt is the world’s largest, with over two million acres of farmland, forests, wetlands and rivers working together to provide clean air, fresh water, and a reliable local food source.
Greenbelt Foundation Media Contact:
Petronilla Ndebele, Director of Strategic Communications
(416) 960-0001 Extension 311
media@greenbelt.ca
Greenbelt Foundation Social Media:
Website: greenbelt.ca
Instagram: @ongreenbelt
Twitter: @greenbeltca
Facebook: Ontario Greenbelt
York Regional Council Decision Proposes to Weaken Greenbelt Protections
The Greenbelt Foundation is disappointed that York Regional Council voted today to adopt a regional Official Plan amendment that would downgrade Greenbelt protections and permit uses that undermine natural heritage protections and agricultural activity if approved by the Government of Ontario.
ROPA 7 is a local planning issue that may have region-wide consequences across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. We are concerned that the approval of ROPA 7 is detrimental to Greenbelt lands and may set a regrettable precedent for future decisions.”
Regional Official Plan Amendment 7 (ROPA 7) would change the designation of Greenbelt lands from Agricultural to Rural and thereby permit not just park land but serviced playing fields, golf courses, as well as rural residential, commercial, or industrial uses. These more active uses would entail hard surfaces and infrastructure in sensitive headwater areas and undermine existing agricultural activity.
ROPA 7 is a local planning issue that may have region-wide consequences across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. We are concerned that the approval of ROPA 7 is detrimental to Greenbelt lands and may set a regrettable precedent for future decisions. The approval weakens protections for natural and agricultural systems by broadening the future interpretation of recreational uses in the Greenbelt to include more disruptive infrastructure.
Agriculture is a key contributor to York Region’s economy. This decision is likely to weaken farmers’ confidence in near-urban agriculture over the long-term, despite its importance and strong public support. Greenbelt-dependent economic activity in York Region from primary sectors including agriculture creates 44,521 FTE jobs, $1.4 billion in wages, and $2.03 billion in economic activity.
Weakening Greenbelt protections undermines efforts to combat climate change in near-urban areas. The Greenbelt is a unique and critical asset in Ontario’s effort to address the profound impacts of climate change, including resiliency in the face of extreme weather events, improved stormwater management, and reducing flood risks.
The Provincial government has repeatedly demonstrated its support of existing Greenbelt boundaries and announced its commitment to enhance the scope and quality of its natural and agricultural systems. In our opinion, ROPA 7 runs contrary to this Provincial policy commitment.
The Greenbelt Foundation respects the role of both local and regional planning and generally avoids commenting on individual planning decisions. However, we feel compelled to do so in instances where local decisions may establish precedents that undermine the Greenbelt overall, and negatively impact its natural and agricultural systems. We believe this is one of those instances.
To read the Greenbelt Foundation’s full submission to York Regional Council, please click HERE.
Edward McDonnell
CEO, Greenbelt Foundation
About Greenbelt Foundation:
Greenbelt Foundation is a charitable organization, solely dedicated to ensuring the Greenbelt remains permanent, protected and prosperous. We make the right investments in its interconnected natural, agricultural, and economic systems, to ensure a working, thriving Greenbelt for all. Ontario’s Greenbelt is the world’s largest, with over two million acres of farmland, forests, wetlands and rivers working together to provide clean air, fresh water, and a reliable local food source.
Greenbelt Foundation Media Contact:
Petronilla Ndebele
Director of Strategic Communications, Greenbelt Foundation
(416) 960-0001 Extension 306
media@greenbelt.ca
Greenbelt Foundation Social Media:
Website: greenbelt.ca
Instagram: @ongreenbelt
Twitter: @greenbeltca
Facebook: Ontario Greenbelt
Growing the Greenbelt
The Greenbelt Foundation supports the Government of Ontario’s commitment to what could be the largest expansion of the Greenbelt since its original creation. Today, the Government announced that it will consult on expanding the Greenbelt to protect additional critical water systems, including the Paris-Galt Moraine. We welcome today’s announcement and look forward to working with the Government and key stakeholders to realize a vision of meaningful growth and enhancement that benefits Ontarians.
Especially in the context of COVID-19 and economic and social recovery, any growth of the Greenbelt will only improve the Greenbelt’s overall contribution to the region’s economy.
At present, Ontario’s Greenbelt protects two crucial headwaters: those found in the Niagara Escarpment and the Oak Ridges Moraine. The Greenbelt also protects 21 urban river valleys—including the Humber, Credit, and Rouge. These valley systems intersect our growing communities, providing important greenspace, documented cooling effects, and increased protection from flooding for residents and businesses. By protecting new headwaters, including the Paris-Galt Moraine, which is home to unique water resources, and urban river valleys, which pass through our densely populated areas, we have an opportunity to extend the Greenbelt’s important benefits.
Maintaining the integrity of the current Greenbelt area during any expansion, including preserving important agricultural lands, is critical to its long-term vitality and the success of our near-urban food economy. The Government of Ontario has been clear that it will refuse any requests to change the current Greenbelt boundary, which provides certainty for municipal planning and ensures the Greenbelt can continue delivering its economic and job benefits, notably in the agriculture and food and tourism sectors.
“By announcing its intention to expand the Greenbelt’s protection of critical water systems in Ontario, the Province has indicated an important path forward for extending and enhancing the unique benefits of the Greenbelt,” said Edward McDonnell, CEO, Greenbelt Foundation. “We welcome this discussion and look forward to finding ways to build on the Greenbelt’s history of success.”
The Province has previously committed to “protecting the Greenbelt for future generations” – and any potential expansion and/or improvements to Greenbelt land-use policy should be guided by this goal. Especially in the context of COVID-19 and economic and social recovery, any growth of the Greenbelt will only improve the Greenbelt’s overall contribution to the region’s economy.
At present, the Greenbelt contributes $9.6 billion in GDP and supports more than 177,700 full-time jobs. By further investing in headwaters, urban river valleys, and our other near-urban landscapes, we can create more jobs and further reduce costs to communities related to the impacts of extreme weather, such as flooding and water contamination—both of which healthy, natural systems help prevent.
Greenbelt Foundation’s Role
Together with government, conservation authorities, and our partners in the public and private sectors, the Greenbelt Foundation has an important role to play in engaging communities and convening stakeholders to support a strategic and thoughtful expansion of Ontario’s Greenbelt. The Foundation is committed to building on our legacy of success by developing research projects and grant programs that further strengthen the Greenbelt’s key sectors and steward its critically important landscapes.
We are an independent, charitable organization that has leveraged and invested approximately $100 million since 2005 to support local food and agricultural systems, rural tourism and recreation sectors, and environmental stewardship initiatives across the Greenbelt region.
For more information on the existing 21 Greenbelt-protected urban river valleys please visit our website: https://www.greenbelt.ca/greenbelt_protected_urban_river_valleys
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The Government of Ontario is launching a 60-day public consultation today and welcomes feedback on their Greenbelt expansion initiative. Those who wish to provide feedback have until April 19 to do so and should contact:
Email: greenbeltconsultation@ontario.ca
Submit a Comment: https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-3136
About Greenbelt Foundation:
Greenbelt Foundation is a charitable organization, solely dedicated to ensuring the Greenbelt remains permanent, protected and prosperous. We make the right investments in its interconnected natural, agricultural and economic systems, to ensure a working, thriving Greenbelt for all. Ontario’s Greenbelt is the world’s largest, with over two million acres of farmland, forests, wetlands and rivers working together to provide clean air, fresh water, and a reliable local food source.
Greenbelt Foundation Media Contact:
Michael Young, Communications Advisor
Greenbelt Foundation
(416) 960-0001 x 311
media@greenbelt.ca
Greenbelt Foundation Social Media:
Website: greenbelt.ca
Instagram: @ongreenbelt
Twitter: @greenbeltca
Facebook: Ontario Greenbelt
Provincial Announcement on Proposed Minor Changes to the Greenbelt Boundary
Wednesday January 11, 2017
The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation congratulates the Province on their commitment to protect farmland and nature with today’s announcement that only minor, technical changes will be made to Greenbelt boundaries. Minister for Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro has led a thoughtful, evidence-based review process and should be commended for his work in delivering this important achievement for Ontario.
With this proposal, the Province is reaffirming its commitment to protecting farmland from sprawl, and preserving natural heritage in the rural countryside. This decision ensures the protection of 161,000 jobs and $9.1 billion in annual economic activity in the Greenbelt.
During the Review, thousands of residents shared their support for protecting and growing the Greenbelt through petitions, letters, and at public consultations. Today’s decision shows that their voices, as part of the 9 in 10 Ontarians who support the Greenbelt, were heard by their government.
The Province received some 700 requests to remove land from the Greenbelt, and has stood firm in refusing to jeopardize the Greenbelt’s integrity. Instead, only a small number of minor changes to boundaries will be permitted where there were legitimate technical grounds for minor alterations. These adjustments of 58 hectares pale in comparison to the 9,000 hectares of land to be added to the Greenbelt.
“I am thrilled that the government did not remove thousands of acres from the Greenbelt and turn it into a Swiss cheese belt,” said Burkhard Mausberg, CEO Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation.
Nearly 12 years ago, the Greenbelt was created as Ontario’s legacy to the future, securing a permanently protected source of local food, clean water and fresh air. Since its creation, the Greenbelt has safeguarded the viability of farming and supported thriving rural economies throughout the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
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About the Greenbelt:
Ontario’s Greenbelt is the solution for fresh air, clean water, healthy local food, active outdoor recreation, and a thriving economy. At nearly 2 million acres, it’s the world’s largest permanently protected greenbelt, keeping our farmlands, forests, and wetlands safe and sustainable. The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation works to help keep farmers successful, strengthen local economies, and protect natural features. Learn more at: greenbelt.ca.
Contact:
Erica Woods
Communications Manager
Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation
Office: (416) 960-0001, ext. 306
Mobile: (647)834-5657
ewoods@greenbelt.ca