<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="">Hi GREN Exec,<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">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.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">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.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">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.</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="">------------------------------------<br class="">
<div><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">From: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">Mike Marcolongo <<a href="mailto:lizandmichele@yahoo.ca" class="">lizandmichele@yahoo.ca</a>><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><b class="">Becoming a Founding Member of the Paris-Galt Moraine Greenbelt Coalition!</b><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">February 24, 2021 at 4:08:55 PM EST<br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">To: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">Liz Hales <<a href="mailto:lizandmichele@yahoo.ca" class="">lizandmichele@yahoo.ca</a>><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Cc: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">Mike Balkwill <<a href="mailto:mbalkwill@iasc.on.ca" class="">mbalkwill@iasc.on.ca</a>><br class=""></span></div><br class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div class="yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Hi Everyone:</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">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. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">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.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">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: <span class=""><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/ontario-greenbelt-expansion-1.5916889" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" class="">Ontario plans to expand Greenbelt to include Paris Galt Moraine and GTA river lands | CBC News</a>. As part of that announcement, the province has started at 60-day consultation on the proposal through the Environmental Registry of Ontario: <span class=""><a href="https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-3136" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" class="">Consultation on growing the size of the Greenbelt | Environmental Registry of Ontario</a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">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. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">By way of this email - <b class="">I'm inviting you to participate in a Zoom call next Thursday, March 4th from noon to 1:30</b> 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. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">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. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">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. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">If you could let me know:</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">1) If you're able to participate, and </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">2) If we've missed someone or an organization that should be approached to participate in this coalition. On this email, I've included:</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Leslie Adams (Halton)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Mike Balkwill (Wellington Water Watchers)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Temara Brown (North Dumfries)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Marnie Benson (Nature Guelph)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Cheryl Connors (Palgrave)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Anne Ehrlich (National Farmers' Union)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Kathryn Enders (Ontario Farmland Trust)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Ella Haley (Brant)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Friends of Pittock Lake (Woodstock)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Graham Flint (Flamborough)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Coalition Caledon</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Nicola Ross (Caledon)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Lisa Koehler (Halton)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">David Laing (Brampton)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Judy Mabee (Belfountain) </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Mike Nagy (Centre Wellington)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Susan Robertson (Georgetown)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Susan@Credit Valley</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Arlene Slocombe and Dani Lindamood (Wellington Water Watchers)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Deb Swidrovich (Waterloo)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Kevin Thomason (Waterloo)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Tom Woodcock (RARE - Waterloo)</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Glen William Community Association</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Linda Sword (GET Concerned - Rockwood)<br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">If you're unable to become involved and would prefer not to get emails - do let me know as well. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Thanks so much and I look forward to connecting with you! </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">Mike </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class="">226-820-0063</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></body></html>