Challenge To Urban Sprawl: Grow The Greenbelt
Sierra Club Ontario 's Challenge to Sprawl campaign is currently focused on Growing The Greenbelt. Building on support from the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, Sierra Club Ontario has been making advances in protecting threatened ecosystems in Peel and Durham Region.
Under the leadership of Sierra Club Peel Chair Peter Orphanos, public and political support for protecting the Credit River Watershed is expanding daily. Durham Region is starting much lower on the learning curve: Durham Regional Council was the only municipality to formally oppose the creation of the Ontario Greenbelt. Sierra Club Ontario's efforts to prevent Durham Region from enacting a growth plan that would destroy natural areas and advance urban sprawl was rewarded with the recent Ontario Government rejection of key aspects of the Durham plan.
Sierra Club is now working with advocates such as Ajax Mayor Steve Parish to create a solid base of support for adding key ecosystems such as the headwaters of Carruthers Creek to the Ontario Greenbelt. Sierra Club Ontario is an active member, and part of the Steering Committee of the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance.
Read about the importance of protecting headwaters land in our Durham Region specific study found online at: http://tinyurl.com/sierra-floodsorfood
Give back: plant a tree!
Submitted by Kristina Jackson on Fri, 2012-04-27 13:14
Sierra Club Peel Group annual Earth Day tree planting in Mississauga!... Read more »
2012 Complete Streets Forum at the Evergreen Brickworks!
Submitted by Shaima Al-Khalili on Mon, 2012-02-27 13:56
http://tcat.ca/completestreetsforum2012/
Is walkability, bikeability, mobility, or livability part of your work?
The 2012 Complete Streets Forum is TCAT's fifth annual active transportation conference taking place on April 23, 2012 at Evergreen Brick Works. The Complete Streets Forum represents a holistic approach to active transportation policy and planning with a focus on cycling and walking while maintaining the interests of other road users.
The Forum continues to develop the program of sharing research, best practices, and creative solutions for designing and implementing safe and inviting streets for everyone.... Read more »
Feet and Wheels Jan19th Yonge Street Speaker Series
Submitted by Kristina Jackson on Fri, 2012-01-13 13:57From www.yongestreetmedia.ca... Read more »
Study shows - sun may be setting on suburban sprawl
Submitted by Kristina Jackson on Fri, 2011-12-16 16:33Report on housing trends in California - relevant because Cali is often first in the US and influential continent-wide.
From NRDC blog by Amanda Eaken:
... Read more »
Foodstock - A great success for the anti-quarry movement
Submitted by Andrew Holownych on Tue, 2011-10-18 10:10
This past weekend was an event put on by local residents of Melanchton who oppose the mega-quarry. Read all about this wonderful event from various news articles below.
Foodstock: Back to the farm, but with knives in hand (Globe and Mail)
Fighting the mega-quarry at Foodstock (NOW magazine)... Read more »
Highland Companies need to do full Environmental Assessment at Melanchton: MNR
Submitted by Andrew Holownych on Fri, 2011-09-02 08:44"After careful consideration, the Minister of Natural Resources and I have agreed to bring forward a regulation making Highland Companies subject to the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act. As a result the company will be required to undertake a comprehensive Environmental Assessment for the proposed quarry in Melancthon Township.... Read more »
Mega quarry application rejected by government
Submitted by Andrew Holownych on Tue, 2011-08-23 12:28The proposed mine in Melanchton is nowhere near to becoming a reality. Ministry of the Environment officials stated it is their position that the documents submitted by the quarry proponents failed to demonstrate a three dimensional understanding of the geology, hydrogeology and hydrology of the site.
Among the reasons for the position they took, MOE staff cited:
- numerous discrepancies between the text and the observations and data;... Read more »
Oak Ridges Moraine: Not safe yet
Submitted by Andrew Holownych on Fri, 2011-08-12 11:49A coalition of environmental groups dedicated to protecting southern Ontario’s “rain barrel” want the province to hear their message that the leading-edge legislation called the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan has deficiencies and frailties which have to be address promptly. And so far, they say the government is largely ignoring problems that are at a tipping point, including depletion of water resources and potential contamination of drinking water. The plan was supposed to be reviewed in 2012, but that has now been put off until 2015.
Mega quarry overview
Submitted by Andrew Holownych on Tue, 2011-08-09 10:45Earlier this year, the Highland Companies (backed by a $22 billion hedge fund out of Boston, Baupost Group) submitted an application to convert over 900 hectares of Ontario’s prime agricultural land into the largest aggregate quarry in North America. In addition to this loss of productive soil, the company also plans to dig below the water table. This would result in 600 million litres of water entering the pit each day that would need to be handled appropriately and returned downstream.
Fortunately, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment turned down the initial application for the quarry due to the company’s poor understanding of the environmental implications of the project. In particular, “the reports failed to demonstrate a three-dimensional understanding of the geology, hydrogeology and hydrology of the site.”... Read more »
Food security advocates join Melancthon quarry fight
Submitted by Andrew Holownych on Tue, 2011-07-26 11:09Opposition to the proposed 2,316-acre quarry in Melancthon has spilled outside of Dufferin County, as three organizations voice their concern for the pit's possible punch to food sustainability.
Sustain Ontario - the Alliance for Healthy Food and Farming, Food Secure Canada and the Toronto Food Policy Council (TFPC) issued a joint news release supporting efforts to stop The Highland Company's plan to transform farmland into an aggregate mine.
"Clearly this is an issue city people need to care about," Lauren Baker, co-ordinator of the Toronto Food Policy Council, said.
Taking a (“Buy Local”) Hike
Submitted by Kristina Jackson on Thu, 2011-07-07 20:20By Jeff Alan
While passing by a small produce store recently, a random selection of “Ontario” fruits and vegetables caught my eye. Being a person who loves their blueberries, I was pleased to see that there were some (more expensive) of the berry under a sign proclaiming their nearby upbringing. Sitting there in their polite, plain green pints, calling me...
Now, being generally full of distrust I had that nagging feeling that perhaps these were not Ontario berries. “Isn't it a touch early?” Wanting to believe, I fought the doubt, money left the wallet and the berries came home.... Read more »
Billion-tonne mega-quarry to 'improve' the local environment
Submitted by Kristina Jackson on Wed, 2011-05-11 09:07The comment period on the Mega-Quarry has been extended until July 11, 2011. To submit formal comments to the MNR’s posting on the Environmental Registry, please visit www.ebr.gov.on.ca and search under posting #011-2864. For information about the posting, please contact Mr. Craig Laing, Aggregate Resources Officer, Midhurst District, Ministry of Natural Resources, at 705-725-7532.
Billion-tonne mega-quarry to 'improve' the local environment
By John Werring, Aquatic Habitat Specialist
Imagine digging a hole in your backyard deeper than Niagara Falls (and twice as wide). Heck... imagine having a backyard that big!... Read more »
Update on Pickering Council sprawl vote
Submitted by Kristina Jackson on Thu, 2011-03-17 09:40
(Pickering) Unfortunately, the motion for the Durham Regional Council to drop the appeal to the OMB did not succeed.
Over two hundred concerned citizens were present at the meeting on February 22nd to discuss the motion; 17 Pickering residents spoke on the issue, as did Dan McDermott on behalf of the Sierra Club. Along with Councillors Bill McLean and Jennifer O'Connell (who had brought the motion forward), Councillor Peter Rodrigues voted in support. However, it was voted down by Mayor Dave Ryan and Councillors Doug Dickerson, David Pickles, and Kevin Ashe.
Nevertheless, this does not end the fight to protect sensitive watershed lands from unnecessary development. Sierra Club will continue to keep an eye on Durham as it proceeds with its appeal to the OMB.... Read more »
Action alert: Ask Pickering to vote against sprawl Feb 22
Submitted by Kristina Jackson on Thu, 2011-02-03 16:52SAY “NO” TO SPRAWL -- SAY “NO” TO URBANIZATION OF NORTH-EAST PICKERING (GREENWOOD)
The past Durham Regional Council voted to urbanize an enormous tract of land in North Pickering (Greenwood). BUT the Province rejected this proposal as it is contrary to “Places to Grow”. Durham Region has appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board --they are spending our Tax Dollars to fight FOR sprawl!
In 2010 Pickering Council supported the development of Greenwood; with new representatives we must reverse this position. Pickering Regional Councillors O’Connell, McLean and Rodrigues oppose the urbanization of North East Pickering and want Pickering Council to tell Durham to abandon their appeal and oppose expanding the Urban Boundary
On February 22, 2011 a Motion will be presented to Pickering Council that “SAYS NO” to:... Read more »
Concord West Greenspace in Jeopardy!
Submitted by Kristina Jackson on Tue, 2011-02-01 17:10
The community of Concord West in the City of Vaughan, Ontario, is engaged in a David & Goliath fight to save from destruction the Concord West Greenspace - a natural heritage land and ecological niche that has been enjoyed by the community for generations but is now being targeted for conversion into a massive intermodal transportation hub. This land forms a central link in the Bartley Smith Greenway at the point where the Greenway is at its narrowest and winds down the West Don River course to Marita Payne Park. It is a natural habitat of many species of plants, birds and animals; at least two endangered species: Blanding’s Turtle and the Common Nighthawk have been sighted on it, as have some Special Concern Species at Risk, including the Great Blue Heron.... Read more »
Lake Simcoe sprawl plan a.k.a Proposed Amd. 1 for Greater Golden Horseshoe
2011-01-31
The “Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe” is a plan for more sprawl development in the Lake Simcoe watershed. See SCO's letter submitted against the approval to the Ontario Gorwth Secretariat, Jan 31st.
Citizens simply will not buy the province’s line that this plan represents responsible growth. We know sprawl when we see it. We know this proposal will exacerbate highway congestion, strain water supplies, pollute surface and ground water, and encourage leapfrog development.
Province rejects proposed Pickering growth plan
Submitted by Dan McDermott on Fri, 2010-10-29 15:51In yet another Victory case, Durham Region’s plan to convert 1,200 hectares of farmland in north–east Pickering to housing for 30,000 people has been rejected by Ontario’s municipal affairs ministry.
The decision is a victory for the Town of Ajax, for the sprawl activities and development of important watershed and agricultural lands in Pickering would have Ajax at a greater risk for erosion and flooding.
To follow the story in Toronto Star, published on October 28, 2010 please see http://www.thestar.com/news/article/882142--province-rejects-proposed-pickering-growth
Sanctuary newsletter - fall 2009
Guelph growth: SCO says, 'Don't sacrifice the environment!', The Money Tree: Home Renovation Tax Credit opportunities, welcome John Bennett as new SCC Director, sustainable cities are different than sustaining wildlands, positive Northern ON agricultural trends - a report from Thunder Bay, Dumpsite 41 blockade a success, and more...
Sanctuary newsletter - winter 2010
2010-01-30
Priorities for preservation in Peel, Pedal for the Planet pushes for policy not climate change, international policy & cooperation needed to combat global climate change, TO City election evaluations, and more...
