<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Good Day,</div><div><br></div><div>For once we have had a week with no new concerning land-use announcements from the province for our watershed! Instead of bad news we want to highlight briefly some of the amazing people in our community working towards the more sustainable future we need:</div><div><br></div><div><b>- Jeff Stager - Radio and Council Delegations -</b> For many years now Jeff has been hosting his local radio show “The Agriculture Show” on CKMS 102.7. His show is a delightful mix of fascinating guests, agricultural education and music relevant to the topic. Jeff also regularly presents detailed agricultural updates to both rural and urban municipalities across our watershed and the impact of his impressive delegations was confirmed this week when municipal staff in one of the cities commented about the impact of his agricultural presentation at Council and the number of questions he received from interested Councillors being some of the best engagement they have seen.</div><div><div><br></div><div><b>- Nigel Gordijk - Community Reporting -</b> For many years now Nigel has been not only a reporter for several area newspapers but has also been one of the most active citizens that we can name on social media - tirelessly publishing all sorts of information, news, and concerns that citizens need to know about. The impact of all the issues and information that he has brought forward in our communities has been tremendously positive and our watershed would be much less informed without his continuous communication efforts.</div><div><br></div><div><b>- Hal Jaeger - Rallies and Neighbourhood Associations - </b>A resident of downtown Kitchener, Hal has been instrumental not only in his own neighbourhood association but bringing many neighbourhood associations together to learn from each other and fight common issues jointly. The websites he helps to run are a wealth of information and one of the best collections of aggregated information on Bill 23 and now Bill 97 that we are aware of (<a href="https://oldeberlintown.ca/information-about-proposed-bill-97/">https://oldeberlintown.ca/information-about-proposed-bill-97/</a>). Hal has also been a driving force for several of our recent rallies that were so successful. Thank you Hal!</div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">1) Media Coverage </b>- good media and social media coverage continues on these planning issues so impacting our communities:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Another developer who bought lands he did not know would be removed from the Greenbelt….</div><div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Globe and Mail - Documents Reveal Hospital Proposal in Ontario’s Greenbelt:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-documents-reveal-hospital-proposal-on-greenbelt/">https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-documents-reveal-hospital-proposal-on-greenbelt/</a></div></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>CityNews - Ford Government To Launch Audits of 6 Municipalities Housing Finances:</div><div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/05/04/ford-government-municipalities-audit-housing-finances/">https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/05/04/ford-government-municipalities-audit-housing-finances/</a></div><div><br></div></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Martin De Groot - The Evening Muse Contemplates The Destruction of Our Countryside and Future Elections:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://marinus.substack.com/p/media-musings-part-2-a-facebook-exchange">https://marinus.substack.com/p/media-musings-part-2-a-facebook-exchange</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The excellent detailed and easy to understand multipart series on the impacts of the provincial government actions on the Greenbelt:</div><div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>City News - Part 1 - The Greenbelt from the Ground - What Could Be Lost:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2023/04/25/the-greenbelt-from-the-ground-what-could-be-lost/">https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2023/04/25/the-greenbelt-from-the-ground-what-could-be-lost/</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>City News - Part 2 - Crown Jewel of the Greenbelt to be Developed:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjJMnUfVutw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjJMnUfVutw</a></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>City News - Part 3 - Excellent Reporting with Doug Ford attempting and failing to answer questions - Doug Ford Defends Opening Greenbelt:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZDCzZltmg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZDCzZltmg</a></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">2) Rural Farm Severance</b><b style="font-size: 14px;">s - Radio Show - </b>By far the most concerning recent Provincial announcement has been the absurd proposal to allow prime farmland to be able to have three land severances and then also build an additional two homes on every farm. Given that we are already losing 319 acres of farmland in Ontario every day, slicing up our intact farms into lots of smaller parcels for housing is not only going to dramatically increase the loss of irreplaceable farmland but permanently impair our ability to grow food effectively for generations to come.</div><div><br></div><div>Jeff Stager (who I just mentioned above for his excellent radio show “The Agriculture Show”) had University of Guelph Professor Wayne Caldwell who focusses on rural planning and development on his show this past week. Dr. Caldwell did an excellent overview of concerns about these severances that he calculates could result in the unsustainable and completely unnecessary loss of over 140,000 acres of Ontario farmland. Check out the radio show at:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://radiowaterloo.ca/episode-284-agriculture-show-april-25-2023/">https://radiowaterloo.ca/episode-284-agriculture-show-april-25-2023/</a></div><div> </div><div><br></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">3) Rural Farm Severance</b><b style="font-size: 14px;">s - Ontario Farmland Trust Webinar - </b>Join Ontario Farmland Trust on May 17th at 12pm for the free Lunch, Learn and Take Action webinar on Impacts of the New Proposed Provincial Planning Statement: Lot Creation Policies. Featruring Dr. Pam Duesling, Dr. Wayne Caldwell, and Margaret Walton it should be an excellent and easy way to learn more about these policy changes proposed in the new PPS and how you can take action for agriculture and the environment:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/lunch-learn-takeactionimpacts-of-proposed-provincial-planning-statement-tickets-625704678537">https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/lunch-learn-takeactionimpacts-of-proposed-provincial-planning-statement-tickets-625704678537</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">4) Speak Up on the ERO Submissions </b>- We need to be speaking up very loudly and protesting these proposed changes to planning, our communities, and precious farmland. There are still open comment periods on the recent announcements of the Provincial Policy Statement and Bill 97. You don’t need to be an expert and you don’t need to submit a lengthy submission in order to comment - even just a few words of concern is enough to send a message that you are not supportive of these provincial changes and policies:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Comment on Bill 97 by<b> May 6th - Just a few days left!:</b></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6821">https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6821</a></div><div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Comment on the Provincial Policy Statement (in particular the absurd proposed farm severances) until June 5th:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6813">https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6813</a></div><div><br></div></div></div><div>We should note that while at times we wonder if our letters, phone calls and ERO submissions have much impact with Doug Ford’s Conservative Provincial Government, we were recently learned just how concerned the government is by all our actions, how closely they are tracking them, and that we are indeed having a significant impact.</div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">5) </b><b style="font-size: 14px;">Lawn Signs - </b> Now that Spring is here brighten up your lawn with a sign in support of the Greenbelt and lawn signs in support of Respecting Official Plans/Stopping Sprawl. We still have some signs available (examples below). Please let any of our sign captains know if you would be interested in some for your lawn and neighbourhood:</div><div><div><div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Both Regional Official Plan and Greenbelt Signs:</div><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Kitchener - Cathy Scott - <a href="mailto:cathy.scottfree@gmail.com">cathy.scottfree@gmail.com</a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Waterloo - David Lubell - <a href="mailto:dlubell@bell.net">dlubell@bell.net</a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Cambridge - Ashley Labelle - <a href="mailto:ashleynlabelle@gmail.com">ashleynlabelle@gmail.com</a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Elmira - Sandra Bray - <a href="mailto:sandra@sandrabray.ca">sandra@sandrabray.ca</a></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Wilmot - Dorothy Wilson - <a href="mailto:ah_wilson@sympatico.ca">ah_wilson@sympatico.ca</a></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"> Wellesley - Linda Lackey - <a href="mailto:lindamclackey@gmail.com">lindamclackey@gmail.com</a></div></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Greenbelt Signs:</div><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Guelph Downtown - Anne Moore - <a href="mailto:amoore083@gmail.com">amoore083@gmail.com</a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Guelph South - Al Dejong - <a href="mailto:albert1dejong@gmail.com">albert1dejong@gmail.com</a></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> Centre Wellington</span> - Peter Varty - <a href="mailto:pjvarty@gmail.com">pjvarty@gmail.com</a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Brantford - Joan Faux - <a href="mailto:mom2jnp@gmail.com">mom2jnp@gmail.com</a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Glen Morris - Jeff Leader - <a href="mailto:geosynergy@yahoo.com">geosynergy@yahoo.com</a> </div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></div><div><br></div><div><div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>6) Reminder - No Meeting this Friday</b><b> -</b></span> Our next update meeting will be Friday, May 12th at 5:30pm:</div></div><div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><br></div><div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Topic: Grand River Watershed Bill 23 Bi-Weekly Zoom Meeting</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Time: Every Other Friday at 5:30pm EST</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Join Zoom Meeting</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09</a></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Meeting ID: 826 4469 5701</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Passcode: 713374</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Thanks for all the great efforts so far. Please share any questions or ideas.</div><div><div id="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770yqtfd24641" class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770yqt1303954863"><br clear="none"><div dir="ltr"><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000Apple-style-span">Cheers,</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);">Kevin Thomason and Mike Marcolongo on behalf of all our community groups.</div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div>-----------------------------------</div></div></div></div></div><div><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><font style="font-size: 14px;">A) Upcoming Events</font></b></div><div><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><br></div><div>Saturday, May 6th - last day to comment on Bill 97 - <a href="https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6821">https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6821</a></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friday, May 12th - 5:30pm - Next update meeting on Zoom - </span><a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09" style="font-weight: 400;">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09</a></b></div><div><br></div></b></div><div>Wednesday, May 17th - 12pm - Ontario Farmland Trust Webinar on Rural Severances - <a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/lunch-learn-takeactionimpacts-of-proposed-provincial-planning-statement-tickets-625704678537">https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/lunch-learn-takeactionimpacts-of-proposed-provincial-planning-statement-tickets-625704678537</a></div><div><div><div><br></div><div>Monday, June 5th - last day to comment on the Provincial Policy Statement - <a href="https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6813">https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6813</a></div></div><div><br></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div><div>---------------------------------</div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;">B) Ontario Farmland Trust Webinar on Farm Severances - May 17th 12pm:</b></div></div><div><br></div><div></div></div></div></body></html>