<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span id="docs-internal-guid-f20d5f19-7fff-498d-fde7-b1ddeef33c1f" class=""><div>Hi GREN Members,</div><div><br class=""></div><div>The Grand River Environmental Network is teaming up with other local organizations to host a webinar this coming Monday evening on the Regional Official Plan. Please join in and invite others too if you can - it will be very important that we all speak up for the future that we want to see. Details are below:</div><div><br class=""><br class=""></div><div style="text-align: center; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: 700; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" class="">Call to Action Webinar - Ensure your voice is heard on the Waterloo Region Growth Plan</span></div><br class=""><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" class="">Our Regional Official Plan is the long-term planning document that sets the foundation for our Region. It decides where and how we will grow, what we will protect, what will be destroyed, and what our community will look like in 2051. It reflects our priorities and will shape our urban cores, neighbourhoods, and countryside.</span></div><br class=""><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" class="">With a July 1, 2022 deadline mandated by the provincial government we only have a short time to speak up to achieve an ambitious plan that will address our climate crisis and ensure Waterloo Region remains a Smart Growth leader with thriving farmland for local food and groundwater recharge, balanced by vibrant, sustainable urban areas.</span></div><br class=""><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" class="">Regional Staff and Council is facing considerable pressure from land speculators and developers with initial drafts of the plan falling far short of the expectations of citizens and community groups. </span></div><br class=""><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" class="">It is urgent for everyone in Waterloo Region to let elected officials know the future you would like to see. Once this plan is approved this Spring there will be little ability for changes until 2031 - well after we will have had to meet our Paris Accord targets.</span></div><br class=""><h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" class="">For more information and how to take action, please register for a community webinar that is taking place on </span></h2><h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" class="">Monday, November 15, 2021 at 7:00 pm</span></h2><h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/community-webinar-on-growth-plan-for-waterloo-region-tickets-204795658327" style="text-decoration: none;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" class="">https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/community-webinar-on-growth-plan-for-waterloo-region-tickets-204795658327</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" class=""> </span></h2><h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><br class=""></h2><h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><br class=""></h2><h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><img apple-inline="yes" id="B1380F80-495A-487D-A885-98F1A699C7EB" src="cid:B98038B6-65AD-41B4-802E-75B1688CE000" class=""></h2><h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span></h2></span><div class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">-------------------------------------</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Kevin Thomason<br class=""><br class="">1115 Cedar Grove Road<br class="">Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2J 3Z4<br class=""><br class="">Phone: (519) 888-0519<br class="">Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648<br class="">Twitter: @kthomason<br class=""><a href="mailto:kevinthomason@mac.com" class="">E-mail: kevinthomason@mac.com</a><br class=""><br class="">-----------------------------------------</div></div>
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