Durham nixes expanded Greenbelt
Council rejects motion to extend it, says region needs housing more
DURHAM— The region has always had an ambivalent relationship with the provincial Greenbelt.
When the idea was first proposed back in the early 2000s, Durham was one of the few governments to speak out against the idea. That seemingly hasn’t changed, as regional council, during a recent meeting of its committee of the whole, voted against a motion from Aurora that calls on the province to expand the Greenbelt.
The popularity of the Greenbelt isn’t in doubt, as Premier Doug Ford found out in the spring after meeting with a group of developers.
At the meeting, he said he would open up the area for development. Almost immediately, he took back his comments.
One of the reasons for the retreat was swift and visceral public condemnation. Among those heard were party MPPs, who faced criticism from residents about developing in the Greenbelt.
Rod Phillips, the MPP for Ajax and the minister of the environment, conservation and parks, said the Greenbelt is a “permanent feature of the GTA. That doesn’t mean we can’t look at some areas. It’s a permanent fixture and a good one. I think the Greenbelt is a reality now.”
The Greenbelt “absolutely” needs to be protected, Phillips added.
“We have to look at areas where it might need to be expanded,” he said, pointing to the headwaters of Carruthers Creek.
The Aurora motion “strongly urged” the province to expand the Greenbelt to include “whitebelt lands” near the Greenbelt.
Whitebelt lands are those that are beyond a municipality’s urban area, but not in the Green- belt. The area is called an inner ring and those lands could be open for development.
During the regional debate, Oshawa Coun. John Aker opposed the Aurora motion, saying, “This area has high house prices because there are no affordable units.”
He said with immigration and migration throughout Canada, more housing options will be needed “unless we want houses that cost $1 million or $1.5 million and our children living in apartments.
“We’re a younger region and we have to provide housing for our children,” he added.
Ajax Mayor Steve Parish disagreed, saying Aker’s “figures are entirely wrong.”
About 250,000 people come to Canada each year, “not just the GTA,” Parish said.
“This motion is asking for two things. Maintaining and growing the Greenbelt and protecting appropriate whitebelt lands in the inner ring.”
Parish said of Ford’s comments to developers “he walked that back within four hours. Why? Because the Greenbelt is extremely popular with people. It’s not because he’s a tree hugger.
“But, he knows that’s a third rail you don’t touch or you’ll get electrocuted.”
A report by former Toronto mayor David Crombie placed a “high priority on protecting water features, such as the headwaters of Carruthers Creek.”
The previous Liberal government didn’t do that and “it was a major oversight of the last government,” Parish said.
Ajax has opposed any urban development near the Carruthers Creek headwaters.
The lands, in northeast Pickering, are in the whitebelt and development there could cause flooding downstream, which is in Ajax. Pickering officials support development in the headwaters.
He said studies have shown that an imminent lack of land for housing is wrong.
“Beyond 2041, with the present boundaries of the GTHA, there’s sufficient land,” Parish said. “You can scaremonger this, but reality is reality. I can’t overemphasize the popularity of the Greenbelt. It’s important for Durham Region and it’s important for the GTHA.”
Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster said Clarington supports whitebelt lands put into the Greenbelt.
“What’s not appropriate is what the last government did and pull out a Sharpie and mark up a map. People want urban separators maintained,” Foster said, noting Clarington residents like the separation between Courtice and Bowmanville and between Bowmanville and Newcastle.
“Parish is absolutely correct on what people want,” Foster said.
Pickering Councillor Kevin Ashe said, “This is the third or fourth time this council has dealt with whitebelt issues.”
He said a study of the Carruthers Creek headwaters is underway and “it’s premature to make a decision.”
Planning Commissioner Brian Bridgeman said his department’s position is to wait for the study to be completed and then make a decision.
“We’re a younger region and we have to provide housing for our children.” JOHN AKER OSHAWA COUNCILLOR