<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Hi GREN folks, <div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">There are a number of things that warrant awareness and action:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">1) Hallman Pit Decision -</b> this coming Monday, April 4th at 7:00pm on Zoom/YouTube will be the Wilmot Township Special Council Meeting for Councillors to vote in support or against this gravel pit application. Susan Bryant is going to delegate on behalf of GREN and more than 50 delegations are signed up so it could be a full night. I’ve attached the Meeting Agenda below. Please do what you can to support the efforts of the Citizens for Safe Ground Water who have fought against the application for three years now. This could include writing Wilmot Councillors (addresses below), speaking on April 4th, and watching the meeting online (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcA8fcRx03H8zYkFLIQMjow" class="">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcA8fcRx03H8zYkFLIQMjow</a>)</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">2) Paris Galt Moraine Greenbelt Expansion -</b> Unfortunately, provincial minister Steve Clark has decided against expanding the Greenbelt to the Paris Galt Moraine or anywhere but a few already protected urban river valleys in the Toronto area. There is currently a consultation on the Environmental Registry of Ontario seeking feedback on this decision and seeking additional areas for greenbelt expansion. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">You can speak up and provide feedback at: <a href="https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-4485" class="">https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-4485</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Some area environmental groups have decided to respond to the provincial government with campaign titled “This Place Matters” where citizens are simply encouraged to respond to the ERO with a photo of their favourite place they feel needs protection. More details will be coming soon however feel free to get out as the weather gets nicer and start to take photos to show the government firsthand what the Greenbelt should be protecting in this area. We have until April 23rd to submit photos and provide our feedback to the provincial government.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">3) Ontario Voters Coalition </b>- I have been approached by grassroots environmentalists in Toronto hoping for better outcomes in the rapidly approaching June 2nd provincial election. They have identified the 12 ridings in Ontario where the previous election was the closest and there is the best chance to elect more environmentally focussed candidates this time. It turns out the four of the twelve ridings with the most potential to change in Ontario are here in our Grand River Watershed. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">They are looking for people to help in our area. In fact, the feel that the next Premier in Ontario could be determined by what happens here according to their polling and research. On April 12th they are hosting a webinar with campaign expert Tim Ellis from Lead Now to train volunteers and get resources into target ridings. Given the importance of doing better on the environment in the next four years than the past four years I urge to do whatever you can to join this initial webinar and then encourage people to get out and vote. Additional information on this new initiative is below:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://climatepledgecollective.org/2022/03/08/our-plan-to-beat-doug-ford/" class="">https://climatepledgecollective.org/2022/03/08/our-plan-to-beat-doug-ford/</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div></div></div></body></html>