<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 Executive,<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Hot off the presses please find below the April 13th Regional Staff Report on provincial consultation on Greenbelt expansion into Waterloo Region.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">As expected the Region has come out opposed to the expansion of the Greenbelt because of concerns that it will weaken our already stronger source water and aggregate extraction protections. These are valid points and do need to be addressed by the province despite the province clearly stating that they have no intentions of changing or updating Greenbelt policies as part of this proposed expansion.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">There is also the need for the province to better encourage municipalities to develop stronger local protections and help to defend them should they be challenged.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The Staff Report neglects to mention many positive attributes of the Greenbelt coming to Waterloo Region - such as the places where it has stronger protections than what we can enact locally, the strong public identification with the Greenbelt (i.e. most citizens understand the concept of the Greenbelt while few will ever read the Regional Official Plan and get into the details of our local protections such as the Protected Countryside). There is also the benefits of contiguous protected areas over a vast landscape, wildlife corridors, the resources that the Greenbelt Foundation would bring to our region with Greenbelt inclusion, and even the promises from the Premier that MZO’s will never be enacted within the Greenbelt.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">In the end, I believe that we should still be advocating for Greenbelt expansion albeit with the necessary policy revisions to ensure that our local protections will not be compromised or weakened in any way.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">We should likely delegate in support of this report. I don’t mind working with the Clerk to register and appear before Regional Council on April 13th. Please let me know if you would like to be part of a delegation.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">We should also ensure that GREN has submissions into the province prior to the April 19th deadline. I can take the lead on drafting a submission from GREN, we can encourage our members to send in comments as well, and we can join with other organizations such as the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance, the Guelph Moraine West Greenbelt Group, the Ontario Headwaters Institute, and Ontario Nature to sign onto their submissions if desired as well as they become available over the next week.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Please share any thoughts or ideas.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Cheers,</div><div class="">Kevin.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""></div></body></html>