Public Meetings on Ontario’s Proposal to Protect Urban River Valleys & Glenorchy Lands Dec.11, 13 & 18, 2012

This video presents “Celebrating 5 Years of Ontario’s Greenbelt”:

  • On February 28th, 2010 Ontario’s Greenbelt turned 5: 2005-2010!

Ontario's Green Belt Map
Ontario’s Green Belt Map

Ontario’s Greenbelt in Canada:

  • extends 325 kilometers from Rice Lake in Northumberland County to the Niagara River
  • is the world’s largest, permanently protected green space preserving prime farmland, communities, forests, wetlands, watersheds and even places to play

    • The Greenbelt includes the Oak Ridges Moraine, the Niagara Escarpment and land known as “Protected Countryside”

    • It’s a world-leading law that protects 1.8 million acres (720,000 hectares) of prime farmland and green spaces around the Greater Golden Horseshoe

    • It gives us clean water, healthy local food and $2.6 billion per year in ecological services

    • Over 90% of Ontarians agree that the Greenbelt is one of the most important contributions to the future of our province, and 93% strongly support it

  • protects environmentally sensitive land and farmland in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area from urban development

    • The Greenbelt Plan and Greenbelt boundary were established under the Greenbelt Act, 2005

    • Greenbelt Plan identifies where major urban growth cannot take place

    • The Growth Plan focuses growth where it makes sense to revitalize our urban areas, away from environmentally sensitive and prime agricultural areas

  • supports a wide range of recreational, tourism and cultural opportunities

Presently, Ontario wants to expand the Greenbelt to protect more green space across the province.

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is proposing an amendment to the Greenbelt Plan under the Greenbelt Act, 2005 that would:

  1. Add provincially owned lands of approximately 630 acres (255 hectares), which are part of the Glenorchy Conservation Area in the Town of Oakville, to the Protected Countryside of the Greenbelt Plan

    • These provincially owned lands are located near the intersection of Hwy 407 and Regional Road 25 (Bronte Road), as shown on Figure 1 below
    • Over one third of the Glenorchy Conservation Area is already in the Greenbelt

    This video presents “Ontario’s Greenbelt Just Got Bigger!”:

    • Published on Nov 20, 2012
    • Oakville’s Glenorchy Conservation Area is the newest addition to Ontario’s Greenbelt. Glenorchy — Scottish for “valley of tumbling waters” — includes rolling hills, forest, creeks, wetlands, the Sixteen Mile Creek valley and gorge
    • Take a look at the newest piece of the Greenbelt, now protected for generations to come

    Figure 1 - Glenorchy Lands (Oakville)
    Figure 1 – Glenorchy Lands (Oakville)
  2. Add a new Urban River Valley designation to the Greenbelt Plan to facilitate adding publicly owned lands in urban river valleys currently outside the Greenbelt into the Greenbelt Plan

    • These urban river valleys are gateways to the Greenbelt
    • Should a municipality be interested in the future in having the Urban River Valley designation (if approved) apply to public lands within their jurisdiction, the municipality would submit a request to the Ministry based on Growing the Greenbelt criteria, developed in 2008
    • The potential inclusion of any of these lands would assist in connecting the Greenbelt to inland lakes and the Great Lakes through these river valley corridors
    • Many of the key external river valley connections are shown on Figure 2 below
    Figure 2 – Excerpt from Schedule 1: Greenbelt Plan Area
    Figure 2 – Excerpt from Schedule 1: Greenbelt Plan Area

There are three ways the public, organizations and municipalities can provide comments on this proposal:

1. Attend a Public Meeting

The government is holding three public consultation meetings on the proposal as identified below to receive comments from the public, municipalities within and adjacent to the Greenbelt, and organizations.

  • Toronto (map)
    December 11, 2012 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
    Black Creek Pioneer Village
    1000 Murray Ross Parkway
    Toronto, Ontario
    M3J 2P3
  • Mississauga (map)
    December 13, 2012 6:30 p.m. – 9:00p.m.
    Tomken Twin Rinks Arena
    4495 Tomken Road
    Mississauga, Ontario
    L4Q 1J9
  • Oakville (map)
    December 18, 2012 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
    Oakville Town Hall
    1225 Trafalgar Road
    Oakville, Ontario
    L6H 0H3

Please advise them of any special accommodations you may require, prior to the meetings.

2. Comment on the Environmental Bill of Rights Posting

The Greenbelt Act, 2005 is prescribed under the Environmental Bill of Rights. Two complementary proposal registry notices for the proposed amendment to the boundary regulation (O.Reg. 59/05) and the Greenbelt Plan have been posted for public comment for 45 days, as required, beginning November 20, 2012 and ending January 4, 2013

3. Written Submissions to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

All written comments must be received by January 4, 2013 and can be submitted by mail, e-mail, fax or on-line.

  • Mail:
    Growing the Greenbelt — Glenorchy Lands and Urban River Valleys
    Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
    777 Bay Street, 14th Floor
    Toronto, ON, M5G 2E5
  • Fax: (416) 585-6870

All comments received on the proposed amendment will be considered by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing prior to making a decision whether to recommend that the amendment be approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council in whole or part or with modifications.

Please Note: All comments and submissions received will become part of the public record.

Contact Info:

Growing the Greenbelt — Glenorchy Lands and Urban River Valleys
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
777 Bay Street, 14th Floor
Toronto, ON, M5G 2E5

Phone: (416) 585-6014; 1-877-711-8208
Fax: (416) 585-6870

Other Resources

For more information on the Greenbelt, visit the Ministry’s website at:

Public Meetings on Ontario's Proposal to Protect Urban River Valleys & Glenorchy Lands Dec.11, 13 & 18, 2012
Public Meetings on Ontario’s Proposal to Protect Urban River Valleys & Glenorchy Lands Dec.11, 13 & 18, 2012

NEWS RELEASE

Ontario Continues to Grow the Greenbelt

McGuinty Government Proposing Protection for Urban River Valleys, Glenorchy Lands

November 20, 2012 12:00 pm

Ontario is taking steps to expand the Greenbelt to protect more green space across the province.

Public consultation meetings will start in December on adding the Glenorchy lands in Oakville to the Greenbelt. These lands would be protected to prevent development so future generations can enjoy them.

Ontario will also hold public consultation meetings on a new Urban River Valley Greenbelt designation that would protect publicly owned lands near urban waterways, such as the Don, Humber and Sixteen Mile Creek river valleys.

The Greenbelt is part of the McGuinty government’s plan to permanently protect environmentally-sensitive land and farmland in the Greater Golden Horseshoe for future generations.

Quick Facts

  • The new Urban River Valley designation would provide flexibility for municipalities to protect land in an urban environment.
  • Ontario has committed to planting twice the number of trees in Glenorchy than originally planned for 2013 under the 50 Million Tree Program.
  • The Greenbelt currently protects 1.8 million acres of agricultural and environmentally sensitive land around the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
  • Research shows that the Greenbelt cleans the province’s air, regulates its water systems, and provides tourism opportunities — all worth $2.6 billion each year.

Learn More

Quotes

The Glenorchy lands and our urban river valleys are vital parts of Ontario’s natural environment. We appreciate the interest municipalities have already shown in protecting and expanding the Greenbelt. We look forward to working with our municipal partners to permanently protect these publicly owned lands and add them to the Greenbelt.”
— Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Preserving our natural environment is extremely important to the residents of Oakville. As Oakville and Halton continue to grow, it is important we maintain our green spaces for future generations.”
— Kevin Flynn, MPP, Oakville

Growing the Greenbelt is a step in the right direction. Our greenspaces and waterways are coming under greater pressure and must be protected. Future generations will be grateful for the foresight we are showing.”
— Rick Smith, Environmental Defence

CONTACT

Kelly Baker
Minister’s Office
416-585-6842

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Ontario.ca/Mah

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