[GREN-Exec] Government release on Greenbelt attack

Fri Nov 4 23:52:43 EDT 2022

Hi Steph,

Excellent ideas - we need to join with anyone and everyone possible to bring down the Ford government by making it clear to the public how much he is working against the greater public good for the enrichment of a small group of buddy billionaires.

The most recent Greenbelt take outs, land swaps and greenwashing needs to be headline news.  We need people on the Paris Galt Moraine to say that we don’t want it when it is being taken from others and we are simply being used as pawns.  A few months ago the government made it clear that they had no interest or intention to add lands to the Paris Galt Moraine when we asked.  Now suddenly it is a great priority - but only to offset what they are removing elsewhere.  Even the 9,000 acres they are offering is less than 10% of what is really needed to protect the Paris Galt Moraine and watersheds here.

I’ll send more info shortly.  Keep up the thoughts and ideas.

Cheers,
Kevin.

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

Kevin Thomason

Phone: (519) 888-0519
Mobile Phone: (519) 240-1648
E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com

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

> On Nov 5, 2022, at 5:18 AM, Steph Goertz <stephanie.s.goertz at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> There are picketing happening at Conservative MPP offices. 
> I think we could get people to picket why CUPE, and Ontario health coalition has emailed all members to stand with CUPE in response to Fundamental human rights.
> Could we also use this verbal.
> 
> A healthy environment is a fundamental right and FORD is taking that away from us.
> 
> This way we have our different unique issue but we can still be lumped into a larger movement
> 
> Barb and I have been talking about this.
> 
> Thoughts? 
> 
> 
> On Fri, Nov 4, 2022, 3:18 p.m. Kevin Thomason <kevinthomason at mac.com> wrote:
>> In addition to the devastation of Bill 23, here is a new attack by the Ford government today beginning the destruction of the Greenbelt by allowing takeouts, land swaps and trying to Greenwash it all with some token lands distant from where it is most needed.
>> 
>> I am currently making my way home from Eastern Africa and hope to be in Canada by Monday.
>> 
>> Please share any thoughts or ideas.
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Kevin.
>> 
>> P.S. It is also expected that today the government will announce that it is officially going to prohibit the Waterloo, Halton and Hamilton Official Plans (not that Bill 23 didn’t already do enough damage to them).
>> 
>> P.P.S. Awful that Ford is dumping all this in the middle of a school strike so that it won’t be noticed or make the media in any noticeable way…
>> 
>> ------------------------
>> 
>> Kevin Thomason
>> 
>> Phone: (519) 888-0519
>> Mobile Phone: (519) 240-1648
>> E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com
>> 
>> -------------------------
>> 
>> Begin forwarded message:
>> 
>>> Cc: Kevin Thomason <kevinthomason at mac.com>
>>> Subject: Government release on Greenbelt attack
>>> 
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
>>> From: Ontario News <newsroom at ontario.ca>
>>> Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2022 at 15:02
>>> Subject: Ontario Launches Consultation on Proposed Changes to the Greenbelt
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> STATEMENT
>>> 
>>> Ontario Launches Consultation on Proposed Changes to the Greenbelt
>>> 
>>> Proposal would expand the Greenbelt by approximately 2,000 acres and facilitate the building of at least 50,000 new homes
>>> 
>>> November 04, 2022
>>> Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> TORONTO — Today, Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, issued the following statement regarding the launch of a 30-day consultation to facilitate the building of more homes while expanding the Greenbelt.
>>> 
>>> “Last week, our government introduced the More Home Built Faster Act, 2022, which takes bold action to address Ontario’s housing supply crisis by building 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years. Today, we are taking further action to support this goal by launching a consultation on proposed changes to the Greenbelt. These proposals will support our municipal partners’ plans for responsible growth and help build at least 50,000 new homes, while leading to an overall expansion of the Greenbelt.
>>> 
>>> Ontario is expected to grow by more than two million people by 2031, with approximately 1.5 million of those new residents in the Greater Golden Horseshoe Region. This growth was recently confirmed by the federal government’s newly released immigration targets. To accommodate that growth and support the building of more homes, our government is proposing to remove 15 areas of land totalling approximately 7,400 acres from the edge of the Greenbelt area.
>>> 
>>> At the same time, we are proposing to add an additional 9,400 acres to the Greenbelt, including a portion of the Paris Galt Moraine and 13 urban river valleys in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, for an overall Greenbelt expansion of approximately 2,000 acres.
>>> 
>>> These proposed changes to the Greenbelt meet the following criteria, all of which must be met before a property is given consideration:
>>> 
>>> Greater than 1:1 offset must be achieved to ensure overall Greenbelt expansion
>>> Affected areas must have the potential for homes to be built in the near future
>>> Affected areas must be adjacent to the existing Greenbelt boundaries
>>> Affected areas must be adjacent to an existing urban area
>>> Affected areas must be on or near readily serviceable land, with local infrastructure upgrades needed to service the projects to be funded entirely by the proponents
>>> Should these lands be removed from the Greenbelt, the landowners will be expected to develop detailed plans to build housing quickly. It is the government’s expectation that new home construction will begin on these lands by no later than 2025, and that significant progress on approvals and implementation must be achieved by the end of 2023. If these conditions are not met, the government will return these properties to the Greenbelt.
>>> 
>>> These changes are an important part of our government’s balanced strategy to build a stronger Ontario by protecting environmentally important lands while tackling Ontario’s housing supply crisis. We are fulfilling our commitment to get more homes built faster so more Ontarians can find a home that meets their needs and budget.
>>> 
>>> Comments on these proposals are welcome through the Environmental Registry of Ontario by December 5, 2022.”
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> Media Contacts
>>> Victoria Podbielski
>>> Minister’s Office
>>> victoria.podbielski2 at ontario.ca
>>> 
>>> MMAH Communications Branch
>>> mma.media at ontario.ca
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> We have recently updated Ontario Newsroom Subscription. You may receive additional emails. If you would like to update your subscription preferences or unsubscribe, click the 'manage your subscriptions' or 'unsubscribe' links down below.
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
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