Tag Archives: Greenbelt

Politics

MPP Brady Intros Farmland Protection Legislation

5 Comments

QUEEN’S PARK – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady has introduced legislation that, if passed, will protect Ontario’s farmland.

“Land use planning affects our daily lives and Ontario’s farmland and arable land is an essential resource for the sustainability and security of our food systems, environment and local economies,” Brady said. “Farmland and arable land is productive, valuable and essential but most importantly it is finite and non-renewable, which is vital to consider in the face of increasing pressure to develop housing in the province.”

With Ontario having 52 per cent of the country’s prime arable land, and much of that being adjacent to cities, Brady said protecting these lands should be paramount. Further, according to census data, Ontario is losing 319 acres of farmland each day. Brady feels this is unsustainable. Constituents in Haldimand-Norfolk have also raised this same concern with the MPP since well before her election.

“As the government continues with its target to create 1.5 million new homes in Ontario, it is vital to put in place policies that will protect our farmers and their land, as well as the province’s food security, both now and in the future,” she said.

The bill requires the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to develop a strategic action plan that aims to protect Ontario’s farmland and arable land from development, aggregate mining and the effects of fluctuating commodity prices and the availability of vacant land. It also stipulates a stakeholder-led Farmland and Arable Land Advisory Committee be set up to advise the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. For the Silo, Jeff Helsdon.

The bill will be back before the Legislature for second reading debate on March 8.

For more information, contact MPP Bobbi Ann Brady directly at 519-428-0446 or 905-765-8413 or babrady-co@ola.org Please mention The Silo when contacting.

Earth

Support Needed To Ensure Clean Water Supplies In Ontario Greenbelt

1 Comment

Dear Silo, in December last year 2017, the Province launched a consultation process on expanding the Greenbelt to protect critical water resources in Ontario. While several significant water systems are included in the proposal, key vulnerable areas are missing.

We have 24 hours to tell the government to expand their proposal to ensure clean water supplies for future generations.

Over 1.25 million people in our region rely on groundwater for their drinking needs. And, our lakes and wetlands are home to numerous at-risk species of fish and wildlife. We urgently need features like moraines, wetlands and headwaters that filter and store water protected from the impacts of urban sprawl and climate change.

9 in 10 Ontarians support the Greenbelt’s protection of water, farmland and nature. You can be one of them.

Together we can grow the Greenbelt to protect our most precious resource, water.

Thank you,

Susan Lloyd Swail
Livable Communities, Senior Manager

P.S. you can read our blog to learn more.

Earth

Greenbelt Is Not Reason Housing Prices Are High In Greater Toronto Hamilton Area

1 Comment

Dear Silo, Right now, greedy developers are gearing up for a lobbying day they’ve organized at Queen’s Park on March 20. They intend to peddle the same lies they’ve been spreading in the news lately: that Ontario’s Greenbelt is the reason housing prices are high. They say there just isn’t enough room for new houses.

In reality, there’s an enormous amount of land in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) that is already set aside for development. 104,000 hectares, to be precise. That’s larger than the cities of Mississauga and Oakville combined!

But as we’ve seen, Ontario’s development industry doesn’t let a little thing like truthful facts get in the way of their business model. They want to weaken the Greenbelt so they can pave over more prime farmland and built the kind of 1950’s sprawl that is so lucrative for them.

Let’s not allow developers to turn a profit at our environment’s expense.

With developers descending on Queen’s Park on March 20, we have to show MPPs that Ontarians support protecting and growing the Greenbelt, not paving over it. Please join me by adding your voice today.

Erin Shapero
Greenbelt Program Manager

P.S: There are some legitimate reasons that house prices are high in the GTHA. The Greenbelt isn’t one of them. Please make sure decision makers know that you expect them to protect our Greenbelt by taking action today.