Coalition Calls On Government To Get Greenbelt Legislation Right
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The Greenbelt Coalition Weighs In On Ontario Greenbelt
The Greenbelt Coalition Advisory Council, which is a new organization of leaders in land-use planning, environmental management, municipal law, home building and land economics have come together to publicly urge Premier Dalton McGuinty to make changes to the proposed Greenbelt Act. The group believes that through sound planning and a transparent process, the end result should be a scientifically defensible, economically feasible and publicly acceptable Ontario Greenbelt.
“We are ready to assist the Ontario Government with our knowledge and expertise,” said Dr. Frank Clayton, Chair of the Greenbelt Coalition Advisory Council. “This is an important piece of legislation that will have a profound impact on our province and we want to help the government get it right.”
The Greenbelt Coalition draws on the skills and experience of experts in urban planning, law and environmental management.
The Greenbelt Coalition has committed to trying to ensure that the process for establishing the proposed Greenbelt is:
1. Based on accepted principles of science, economics, land use planning and social studies,
2. Free from politically motivated intrusions, interference and inclusions, and
3. Firmly established on the basis of equal justice, which can only be achieved by ensuring fairness, accountability and transparency.
The Greenbelt Coalition wants to ensure that decisions on greenbelt planning in Southern Ontario are preceded by studies of the appropriate lands under designation. It is concerned about the potential costs including higher housing costs, diminished economic growth and foregone property rights that may result under the current legislation.
“Our concern is that the government’s proposed Greenbelt legislation is the equivalent of an ‘environmental trojan horse,’ stated Jeffrey Davies, a Greenbelt Coalition Advisory Council member. “It looks like a good thing from the outside but when you open it up you discover that there are things inside you don’t like. In this case there are just too many unanswered questions surrounding the current legislation.”
The proposed Greenbelt will stretch for 1.8 million acres, including the already-protected Niagara Escarpment and Oak Ridges Moraine, encompassing some of the most environmentally-threatened land in the Greater Toronto Area.
@ January 28, 2005