<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=""><div class="">Hi GREN Folks,</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Below is information on some of the upcoming activities in the community specifically with regards to the Regional Official Plan that needs to be completed in the months ahead. Please encourage elected officials or others who may benefit to attend.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Please share any questions or ideas.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Cheers,</div><div class="">Kevin.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">----------------------</div><div class=""><font size="5" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><b class=""><font size="5" class="">1) Ontario Greenbelt Alliance Expert Planner Webinar for Elected Officials - Thurs, Feb 17th 4pm</font></b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><br class=""><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><img alt="image.png" class="" apple-inline="yes" id="9F8EDA2B-D0F6-42E0-B644-6F0405FCCBD0" style="margin-right: 0px;" src="cid:ii_kyyoeuug0"><br class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class=""><font size="4" class=""><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAu32r6n5SDAQzm1P5ewYen_f12lfq8njmAXti28E9YH66jQ/viewform?usp=sf_link" class="">REGISTER HERE</a></font></b></div><div class=""><b class=""><br class=""></b></div><div class=""><img alt="image.png" class="" apple-inline="yes" id="86F94389-809C-4F08-9B39-7128189A2633" style="margin-right: 0px;" src="cid:ii_kyyozlgq4"><br class=""></div><div class=""><img alt="image.png" class="" apple-inline="yes" id="1C90188D-532B-41E7-9AF3-DCCCBF56D109" style="margin-right: 0px;" src="cid:ii_kyyp2xco5"><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">This event is brought to you by the <a href="https://www.greenbeltalliance.ca/" class="">Ontario Greenbelt Alliance</a>.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><img alt="image.png" class="" apple-inline="yes" id="C098157B-35D6-47A8-ACAF-85853B1A7EBE" style="margin-right: 0px;" src="cid:ii_kyyowldy3"><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class=""><font size="5" class="">2) Southern Ontario Growth Conference - February 17th and February 18th</font></b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><p style="color: rgb(32, 32, 32); font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 24px;" class="">Southern Ontario Growth Conference<br class="">Feb 17-18</p><p style="color: rgb(32, 32, 32); font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 24px;" class=""><b class="">Your voice needs to be heard. Get access to resources to help.</b></p><p style="color: rgb(32, 32, 32); font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 24px;" class="">Many municipalities are trying to understand how to best integrate climate change into their municipal decision-making process, such as in the development of their official plan. Because plans for growth and infrastructure have far-reaching impacts on climate change, municipalities are seeking additional guidance to better understand how to integrate into practice various, seemingly competing, priorities.<br class=""><br class="">With official plans currently being finalized, the goal of this conference is to lift up the voices of experts, organizations, individuals and community groups that may not readily have the ear of elected officials and municipal planners.</p><p style="color: rgb(32, 32, 32); font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 24px;" class=""><br class=""></p><h3 style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25px;" class=""><font size="2" color="#ff9900" style="font-weight: normal;" class=""> An Official Plan sets out a community's vision and goals for the future. </font></h3><h3 style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25px;" class=""><font size="2" color="#ff9900" style="font-weight: normal;" class="">It ensures that new development and growth considers a broad range of interests and perspectives and that land use planning decisions reflect local values.</font></h3><div class=""><div style="text-align: center;" class=""><font color="#ff9900" class="">(Where new housing, industry, offices, and shops will be located, what services like roads, water mains, sewers, parks,</font></div><div style="text-align: center;" class=""><font color="#ff9900" class="">and schools will be needed, when, and in what order, parts of your community will grow and community improvement initiatives)</font></div></div><div style="text-align: center;" class=""><font color="#ff9900" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><h2 style="color: rgb(32, 32, 32); text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 22px; line-height: 27.5px;" class=""><span style="font-size: 18px;" class="">Part 1: Community Focus</span></h2><h2 style="color: rgb(32, 32, 32); text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 22px; line-height: 27.5px;" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">Feb 17, 6:00 - 9:00 pm</span></h2><p style="color: rgb(32, 32, 32); font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 24px;" class="">The voices in our communities are extremely powerful. Learn why your voice is important, meet others taking action and get your hands on campaigning resources.<br class=""><a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/southern-ontario-growth-conference-part-1-increasing-the-community-voice-tickets-252152734617" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 51);" class="">Register</span></span></a><br class=""> </p><h3 style="color: rgb(32, 32, 32); text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 25px;" class=""><span style="font-size: 18px;" class="">Part 2: Municipal Focus</span></h3><h2 style="color: rgb(32, 32, 32); text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 22px; line-height: 27.5px;" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">Feb 18, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm</span></h2><p style="color: rgb(32, 32, 32); font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 24px;" class="">Municipalities learn how to best integrate Climate Change into their Official Plan, from the voices of experts, other municipalities, as well as your community.<br class=""><a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/southern-ontario-growth-conference-part-2-municipal-focus-tickets-252432712037" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 51);" class="">Register</span></span></a></p><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr" class=""><font color="#222222" size="1" class=""><i class=""><br class=""></i></font></div></div></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class=""><font size="5" class=""><br class=""></font></b></div><div class=""><b class=""><font size="5" class="">3) Where Do We Grow from Here - University of Waterloo Planning School Symposium on Land Needs Assessment Planning - March 9th, 9am to 12pm</font></b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div><div class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div><img apple-inline="yes" id="7CF86CE9-A983-4DA7-A513-FF032D82B4F9" src="cid:C3470953-7D6C-428C-B68D-E4C9D64C0552" class=""></div><div><br style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" class=""><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" class=""><a shape="rect" href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApde-qqTksE9J0LZAJL3uThQKU3aKnqAUf" class="ydpca2e9a30yiv2803764407ydp5637b5f6yiv8432480879" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); text-decoration-line: underline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApde-qqTksE9J0LZAJL3uThQKU3aKnqAUf</a></span></div><div><br class=""></div><div><br class=""></div><div><br class=""></div><div><br class=""></div><div>------------------------------------<br class=""><br class="">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 class=""><br class=""></div></div></div></div></body></html>