Ford govt’s continues the onslaught of provincial Greenbelt regardless of studies showing no need for this in some regions of the province begs many questions.
Who is behind this push for Greenbelt destruction? Is developer money for Ford’s party behind this push? What are the benefits to the PC party with the carveout? Why are studies opposing this destruction ignored?
Mayor Ashe and Councillor Pickles should explain why they favour this Ford govt policy.
Durham councillors’ decision to not explore carveout of Greenbelt ‘violates public trust and fails future generations’: MSIFN
Mississaugas of Scugog Island ‘shocked’ by vote to not look at implications of slicing up protected green space
Source: Chris Hall, Port Perry Star, March 8, 2023
Durham Region Councillors reject exploration of Ford’s Greenbelt carveouts
A decision by regional councillors to forego a study of the implications of Greenbelt carveouts by the province in a bid to increase housing stock will fail future generations, says the Scugog Island First Nation.
More homes, less Greenbelt
In a March 7 online post, the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation chief and councillors said they were “shocked” by a March 1 vote by Durham’s regional councillors not to explore the impacts of the Doug Ford Progressive Conservatives’ plan to allow residential construction on parcels of the protected Greenbelt lands.
Indigenous upset
MSIFN Chief Kelly LaRocca and councillors Laura Colwell and Jeff Forbes said in the statement that the regional decision “violates public trust and fails future generations.”
“We are profoundly troubled by Durham Region’s vote to not study the implications of carving out land from the Greenbelt,” continued the statement.
“As we have repeatedly said, there is no turning back from destroying the environment. The wetlands and biodiverse areas that are part of the Greenbelt have developed over millennia and serve critical purposes in balancing our ecosystems and ensuring that humanity can thrive. These areas cannot simply be replaced with other undeveloped parcels of land somewhere else in the province.
“We recognize that sometimes difficult decisions have to be made in our growing province. However, responsible decision-making requires scrupulous, evidence-based and detail-oriented processes. Especially when it comes to land that is vital to our fight against climate change.”
A recent report concludes Greenbelt space not needed
The Scugog Island First Nation also noted that a recent report by Kevin Eby commissioned by Environmental Defence and others “clearly shows that we do not need the Greenbelt to meet the Ford government’s housing goals. Yet, even if we did need that land, responsible decision-making by elected officials — who we expect to consider long-term implications of their decisions — must include a thorough assessment of evidence, facts and impacts.
“Willingly rejecting a study of the implications of Greenbelt carveouts is a violation of public trust that will significantly damage democracy, the environment and opportunities for future generations to thrive in this province,” said the MSIFN.
Councillor vote results
Against: Steve Yamada, Kevin Ashe, Chris Leahy, Tito-Dante Marimpietri, Elizabeth Roy, Maleeha Shahid, Regional Chair John Henry, David Pickles, Rick Kerr, Rhonda Mulcahy, Brian Nicholson, Dave Barton, Adrian Foster and Bruce Garrod.
For: Michael Jubb
Chris Hall is a reporter covering Scugog Township, Metroland Media Group’s Durham Region Division.
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