[GREN-Exec] Fwd: Becoming a Founding Member of the Paris-Galt Moraine Greenbelt Coalition!

Fri Feb 26 12:20:44 EST 2021

Dear Kevin,

We are all very busy.  In my own case, e.g., I spent much time on a presentation in Dec to the standing Committee re conservation authorities, a critical emergency; am involved in stuff regarding renovating the Region official plan, also the looming deadline for comments towards the Region's climate change preparations, helping out a brand new group of "Seniors for Climate Change" get started, some advice on the proposal to allow chickens in Waterloo City (been there, done it a few years go in Kitchener so I'm savvy about how councillors react to the prospect of hens in the city), and also helped bring about a significant change for the once very conservative birdie group Waterloo Region Nature which will now have a Conservation Action Committee so that they can do more than just add a logo to appeals like the Green Belt and actually be engaged, and also ongoing stuff with the land trust.  I've also gone through grief and have almost finished a longish piece that is a tribute to my sister which has helped me wash away the guilt and sadness re her having to spend months in lockdown isolation before dying alone from a dreadful pandemic virus.

The best thing right now is the bright sunny days, getting out on my bike, having my seed order from Vesey's in PEI arrive in the mail, keep in touch with a couple of people who have had to endure much more sadness than I, and go on an aimless drive along country roads to possibly  find a snowy owl.

I know that the rest of us GRENlings are equally or even more overwhelmed and busy and productive in so many ways at enviro good works, their jobs, while also deriving some personal happiness as the good Earth rotates 360 degrees every day.

Re Greenbelt.  I'd like to know the following:

• Leah Gerber had a good article in the Record where Region officials worried that extending the Green belt to the Region might actually weaken safeguards.  True or false?

•  Mike Schreiner has a private member's bill now past second reading but is now stalled re protecting the Guelph Moraine.  The Province's proposed expansion is for the same area.  Schreiner has spoken out re this being a "smokescreen" to deflect attention from the Govt's  ongoing greenwashing crimes.  Would the province's proposal result in weaker protection than his bill?  If so, shouldn't we be pushing to help it?

• If the Greenbelt were expanded to the most critical parts of the Region countryside, that would mean including the 4 Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes.  Does that designation become superfluous? Which is best?

• If Greenbelt expands over the Region, what is best:  the centralized jurisdiction of the GB which might result in poorer response to local needs and issues, or maintain possibly more perceptive governance with more local autonomy through other protective means?  Or would having the Green Belt give more muscle to wife-and-husbanding our living realm?

•  Has the Greenbelt elsewhere had any effect on civil society-styled volunteer work, such as the splendid work in landscape rehabilitation undertaken by Susan B's hosts of sylvan angels?

• I got an email from he Green Belt that the province has given them $12 million.  That sounds great. What a big wad. But what does that indicate about the relationship between greenbelters and  the Ford junta and their backroom operatives?  Is it too cosy?  Probably not, but possibly maybe.  What's up?

I need some help in knowing what to do.  I  realize I'm in need of some de-befuddling.  Please accept this in solidarity, respect, and good faith in all the wonderful things you are doing and the Grand  Vision of the Green Belt as we coast once more into   my favourite season in this area, when the woods well up once more in their miraculous gibberellin  green.

Faithfully, Greg

________________________________
From: Executive <executive-bounces at gren.ca> on behalf of Mr. Kevin R. Thomason <kevthomason at gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2021 10:55 PM
To: GREN Executive
Subject: [GREN-Exec] Fwd: Becoming a Founding Member of the Paris-Galt Moraine Greenbelt Coalition!

Hi GREN Exec,

Things are really heating up on the Greenbelt expansion to Waterloo Region via the Paris-Galt Moraine.  It is going to be hard for GREN to not be involved and still retain credibility in the Grand River Watershed.  However, we are all very busy and I don’t think that any of us are seeking a massive new undertaking.  Thus, the approach of trying to be a supportive and helpful as possible without getting caught up in hundreds of hours of work.  There also aren’t many other groups or people likely to represent Waterloo Region.

Mike Marcolongo from Guelph reached out earlier this week and below is what I recommended - rather than forming a new group we simply bring existing groups together in a loosely co-ordinated manner and see how we can best provide encouragement to the Ford government to grow the Greenbelt without falling for or being overly distracted by Ford’s ploy at the expense of other issues that still need to be addressed such as Highway 413, MZO’s, climate change, etc.

I will be on the call March 4th at noon and hopefully you can make it too.  Please keep me posted if you can attend and we can see how GREN can be involved but not overly engaged.

Please share any questions or ideas.

Cheers,
Kevin.

------------------------------------

Begin forwarded message:

From: Mike Marcolongo <lizandmichele at yahoo.ca<mailto:lizandmichele at yahoo.ca>>
Subject: Becoming a Founding Member of the Paris-Galt Moraine Greenbelt Coalition!
Date: February 24, 2021 at 4:08:55 PM EST
To: Liz Hales <lizandmichele at yahoo.ca<mailto:lizandmichele at yahoo.ca>>
Cc: Mike Balkwill <mbalkwill at iasc.on.ca<mailto:mbalkwill at iasc.on.ca>>

Hi Everyone:

Its Mike Marcolongo with Protect our Moraine in Guelph. Most of you know me as someone who has been challenging the City of Guelph's plans for the largest expansion on the Paris-Galt Moraine in the South end of Guelph. I've met most of you but not all 30+ people (blind carbon-copied) included in this email.

The truth of the matter is that we have something important in common: we either live on or in near proximity of the ecological jewel also know as the Paris-Galt Moraine. Most of us have also led and continue to fight innapropriate development in our respective communities.

I'm sure you're aware of the provincial government's recent annoucement proposing the expansion of the Greenbelt to include the Paris-Galt Moraine as well as various river valleys: Ontario plans to expand Greenbelt to include Paris Galt Moraine and GTA river lands | CBC News<https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/ontario-greenbelt-expansion-1.5916889>. As part of that announcement, the province has started at 60-day consultation on the proposal through the Environmental Registry of Ontario: Consultation on growing the size of the Greenbelt | Environmental Registry of Ontario<https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-3136>

While its clear that this announcement is meant to distract Ontarians from recent harmful measures by this government (e.g. MZO for Duffin's Creek in Pickering and the fast-tracking of Highway 413's Environmental Asessment process) - if this proposal passes it could represent a significant gain for protecting the water recharge and natural areas for our communities.

By way of this email - I'm inviting you to participate in a Zoom call next Thursday, March 4th from noon to 1:30 to discuss ways to develop a loose coalition or federation of organizations to push for the greenbelt expansion. If you're not able to participate, the Zoom session will be recorded for your benefit. Mike Balkwill with Wellington Water Watchers has kindly agreed to facilitate the strategic planning aspect of the call.

For the immediate term, this group would meet to strategize on the ask, share information, develop and implement tactics - and build momentum for fhe 60-day consultation period. The idea here is to avoid "re-inventing the wheel" by sharing resources and supporting each other.

In the longer term - this group would work together to push this government to deliver on its promise by actually passing legislation to expand the greenbelt. Further, we would use this group to build additional allies and infrastructure (such as a centralized repository maps, signage etc.) that will be support the expansion of the Greenbelt on the Paris-Galt Moraine.

If you could let me know:

1) If you're able to participate, and
2) If we've missed someone or an organization that should be approached to participate in this coalition. On this email, I've included:

Leslie Adams (Halton)
Mike Balkwill (Wellington Water Watchers)
Temara Brown (North Dumfries)
Marnie Benson (Nature Guelph)
Cheryl Connors (Palgrave)
Anne Ehrlich (National Farmers' Union)
Kathryn Enders (Ontario Farmland Trust)
Ella Haley (Brant)
Friends of Pittock Lake (Woodstock)
Graham Flint (Flamborough)
Coalition Caledon
Nicola Ross (Caledon)
Lisa Koehler (Halton)
David Laing (Brampton)
Judy Mabee (Belfountain)
Mike Nagy (Centre Wellington)
Susan Robertson (Georgetown)
Susan at Credit Valley
Arlene Slocombe and Dani Lindamood (Wellington Water Watchers)
Deb Swidrovich (Waterloo)
Kevin Thomason (Waterloo)
Tom Woodcock (RARE - Waterloo)
Glen William Community Association
Linda Sword (GET Concerned - Rockwood)

If you're unable to become involved and would prefer not to get emails - do let me know as well.

Thanks so much and I look forward to connecting with you!

Mike
226-820-0063

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/executive_gren.ca/attachments/20210226/d73e12cf/attachment.html>