Greenbelt Changes

Greenbelt Boundary Minor Changes
eBlast to Co-ordinated Review stakeholders from Minister Mauro

I am writing to let you know that today the government opened a public consultation on proposed minor changes to the Greenbelt’s boundary, as set out in O. Reg. 59/05 and the Greenbelt Plan and is interested in hearing input on this proposal.
The proposed boundary changes are shown on these maps.
The proposed changes are based on a review of requests for boundary changes submitted since the creation of the Greenbelt, including during the almost-two-year consultation period for the Co-ordinated Land Use Planning Review, and a review of related technical information, as well as further information provided by municipalities, conservation authorities and land owners.
The government received over 700 site-specific requests related to the Greenbelt Plans. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs reviewed those requests that fall within the Greenbelt Plan Area and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Area.In undertaking this review, the government was guided by a number of overarching considerations, including:

• avoiding boundary changes that would fragment farmland, including prime agricultural lands
• maintaining a robust Natural Heritage System that can be supported despite urbanization occurring in proximity and downstream to the Greenbelt
• respecting the functional connections in the Natural Heritage System
• valuing the overall objectives of the Greenbelt as a landscape
• avoiding a minimalist approach to defining the Natural Heritage System and
• being responsive to landowner requests to evaluate site-specific situations.

Requests related to the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area were not considered as part of this exercise because those requests are subject to a separate review process led by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
The consultation runs from January 11 to February 27, 2017. Any boundary changes are expected to be finalized early this year as part of the completion of the Co-ordinated Land Use Planning Review.
Comments can be submitted at Ontario.ca/greenbelt or through the Environmental Registry. If you have any questions regarding the consultation or any of the proposed boundary changes, you can contact the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Greenbelt Site Specific Review at greenbeltboundary@ontario.ca.
Thank you for your continued interest and engagement in the Greenbelt Plan.