<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">Hi,<div><br></div><div>A reminder that this coming Tuesday is the first of eleven Open Houses the Provincial Government will be holding across Ontario on the Greenbelt and Growth Plan Amendments. We are very fortunate to have the first event being held here in Waterloo Region. This is our chance to tell the government ministries directly that we want the Greenbelt expanded to Waterloo Region as well as other ideas and feedback on SmartGrowth, the protection of farmland, water aquifers, natural heritage, etc.</div><div><br></div><div>Details are as follows:</div><div><br></div><div>Date: Tuesday, May 31st</div><div>Time: 5pm to 8pm</div><div>Location: Preston Auditorium</div><div>Address: 1458 Hamilton Street, Cambridge</div><div><br></div><div>More information is available at: </div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page14854.aspx">http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page14854.aspx</a></div><div><br></div><div>This is our chance to make sure our voices are heard and Waterloo Region gets the same protection as other rapidly growing parts of the province. Please encourage others that you know to attend this open house and information session as well. </div><div><br></div><div>Additionally, comments, feedback and ideas can be submitted to the province through the MAH website until September 30th at: <a href="http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page10882.aspx">http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page10882.aspx</a></div><div><br></div><div>Hope to see you Tuesday evening,</div><div>Kevin.</div><div><br></div><div><div>
<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">----------------------------</font></p>
</div>
<div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica';">Kevin Thomason <<a href="mailto:kevinthomason@mac.com">kevinthomason@mac.com</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica';"><b>[All] Provincial Greenbelt and Growth Plan Amendments Released Today by Provincial Government</b><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica';">May 10, 2016 at 8:01:01 PM EDT<br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica';">GREN <<a href="mailto:all@gren.ca">all@gren.ca</a>><br></span></div><br><div><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">GREN Folks,<div><br></div><div>As you might have seen, the province released the proposed amendments to the Growth Plan and Greenbelt Plans today. It was an impressive news conference held with four senior ministers (Finance, Transportation, MMAH and MNRF) and some bold proposals for SmartGrowth (in particular densities and land budgeting), complete communities, and urban river valley Greenbelt expansion.</div><div><br></div><div>You can find the proposed Plans, overview information, mapping, etc. here:</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page10882.aspx">http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page10882.aspx</a></div><div><br></div><div>It seems like they have taken the sound principles initiated by the Region of Waterloo in our 2009 Official Plan and have mandated the same for the rest of the province. It's wonderful to see higher densities, more complete communities, etc. However, it seems that everything is focused once again on only the GTAH. There is almost nothing for the outer regions (Simcoe, Dufferin, Brant, Wellington, etc.) and in particular seemingly no prospects of any Greenbelt expansion to Waterloo anytime soon. </div><div><br></div><div>Perhaps through some vague mapping exercise to be conducted in the coming years there might be a chance of some form of "Greenbelt-like" protection of water resources. However, from what we can see so far it is all very vague and does little to reinforce our Regional Official Plan or provide extra protection for our land and water.</div><div><br></div><div>While the news that Waterloo not being part of any near-term Greenbelt expansion is certainly disappointing, there are many positives and good things being proposed. A press release from SmartGrowth Waterloo is attached below that provides an overview.</div><div><br></div><div>The first Open House is going to be held in Cambridge on May 31st from 5pm to 8pm at the Preston Auditorium, 1458 Hamilton Street, Cambridge. Please plan to attend as it will be important that we speak up and ensure the provincial government hears our feedback and ideas. It will also be important to talk to MPP's, Regional, and Municipal politicians and staff so they know our concerns and desires, especially about not being left out of the Greenbelt yet again.</div><div><br></div><div>There are hundreds of pages of documents yet to be read. I will follow-up more as we get more information. Please share any thoughts or ideas in the meantime.</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks,</div><div>Kevin.</div><div><br></div><div>----------------------------<br><p>For Immediate Release</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENCOURAGED BY LAND USE POLICY CHANGES, DISAPPOINTED TO BE LEFT OUT OF THE GREENBELT AGAIN</strong></p><p><em>Waterloo Region, Ontario</em> – Local community members are encouraged by the province’s proposed changes to provincial land use policies, but much more will need to be done to ensure Waterloo Region is included in the crucial protections of the Greenbelt.</p><p>Proposed changes announced by the government Tuesday afternoon address a number of the problems faced by the Region of Waterloo in its successful fight to defend its smart growth-based official plan over the last several years. These changes include standard provincial rules to determine whether agricultural and rural lands should be converted to urban uses.</p><p>“A number of these changes should help other Ontario communities adopt smart growth requirements the Region of Waterloo fought hard to protect in its battle with the OMB,” said Kate Daley, co-founder of Smart Growth Waterloo Region and Waterloo resident. “But we were hoping for a strong and immediate commitment to expanding the Greenbelt in Waterloo Region. That didn’t happen today.”</p><p>Waterloo Region is a prime area for Greenbelt expansion. Ontario’s Greenbelt, established in 2005, currently protects 1.8 million acres of land in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the area that surrounds the western end of Lake Ontario.</p><p>“After being left out of the original Greenbelt, despite multiple requests to be included, our communities and local governments spent the last decade creating and defending our own local Protected Countryside,” said Kevin Thomason, group co-founder and rural Wilmot resident. “So the work has already been done here. Because of our local protections, Greenbelt designation wouldn’t change anything on the ground for landowners, but it would add an important extra layer of protection for our sensitive natural and agricultural resources.”</p><p>The Province of Ontario’s Co-ordinated Land Use Planning Review, with a mandate to examine the four plans that govern land use in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, began last year with record public participation. Smart Growth Waterloo Region encourages community members to submit comments on the proposed changes, which cover a wide range of issues like infrastructure, agriculture, and climate change. Comments will be accepted by the provincial government until the end of September, and a series of open houses across the province will begin in Cambridge on May 31st.</p><p>Smart Growth Waterloo Region (<a href="http://www.smartgrowthwaterloo.ca/">www.smartgrowthwaterloo.ca</a>) is a grassroots group started in 2013 by community members to raise awareness and support for local and provincial smart growth policies.</p><p>-30-</p></div><div>-------------------------------------</div><div><br></div><div></div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></body></html>