<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">Hello,<div><br></div><div>Monday afternoon the ten year Greenbelt Review panel being headed up by David Crombie released their initial report. It is a detailed report that comes out strongly in support of the Greenbelt, advocates for expansion of protected areas - particularly along Moraines and source-water areas, recommends higher intensification targets, firmer urban boundaries, and many other SmartGrowth principles in 87 formal recommendations to the provincial government.</div><div><br></div><div>You can read the Executive Summary of the Crombie Report here:</div><div><a href="http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page11256.aspx">http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page11256.aspx</a></div><div><div><br></div><div>You can download the entire Report here:</div><div><a href="http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Asset11110.aspx?method=1">http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Asset11110.aspx?method=1</a></div><div><br></div><div>You can find summaries of the Town Hall Meetings here:</div><div><a href="http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=11126">http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=11126</a></div><div></div></div><div><br></div><div>Here is the link to the Provincial Government Press Release:</div><div><a href="https://news.ontario.ca/mah/en/2015/12/ontario-welcomes-report-on-greenbelt-and-smart-growth.html">https://news.ontario.ca/mah/en/2015/12/ontario-welcomes-report-on-greenbelt-and-smart-growth.html</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><b>Media Coverage </b>- There has been some good coverage in the media so far:</div><div><br></div><div>Toronto Star - Martin Regg Cohn - Growth Pains Will Worsen If We Don't Tighten Greenbelt</div><div><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/12/08/growth-pains-will-worsen-if-we-dont-tighten-greenbelt-cohn.html">http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/12/08/growth-pains-will-worsen-if-we-dont-tighten-greenbelt-cohn.html</a></div><div><br></div><div>Ecostrategy - Crombie Report Hits Mark - Protect Water Resources<br><a href="http://www.huffstrategy.com/MediaManager/release/Ontario-Nature---Ecospark---Earthroots---STORM-Coalition/7-12-15/Crombie-report-hits-the-mark-Protect-Ontarios-most-vulnerable-wat/3208.html">http://www.huffstrategy.com/MediaManager/release/Ontario-Nature---Ecospark---Earthroots---STORM-Coalition/7-12-15/Crombie-report-hits-the-mark-Protect-Ontarios-most-vulnerable-wat/3208.html</a><br><br></div><div><br></div><div><b>Next Steps</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>The plan is for David Crombie to do another series of Town Hall Meetings over the winter to seek feedback to this report. We will need to come out with strong support (which should be easy given that what they are proposing to do is the SmartGrowth, protection, climate change action, etc. that we have been seeking for quite some time). The panel will issue a final report in the Spring to the Province and then the province will spend the next year developing action plans and amendments to the Greenbelt Act and other legislation.</div><div><br></div><div>It will be important to get strong attendance at these winter Town Hall meetings and we should start working with Regional and Municipal Staff immediately on many of the recommendations being made by the report.</div><div><br></div><div>Please share any questions or ideas.</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers,</div><div>Kevin.</div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------------</div><div><br></div><div></div></body></html>