ONTARIO’S GREENBELT
Mayors in Hamilton, Burlington oppose the provision Ford hopes to add to Bill 66,
Farmer David MacTavish has no interest in seeing the countryside carved up for development, even a little bit.
“We kind of like our perfect little spot up here in north Burlington,” he says about his 20hectare farm on Walkers Line. “And we’d like to do everything to protect that.”
MacTavish is worried what could happen if the province passes a provision in Bill 66 that would enable municipalities to open up the Greenbelt to development.
He’s not alone. Since Premier Doug Ford’s government announced the proposed changes Thursday, local municipal leaders have registered their con- cern about changes to the planning policy.
“We stand firm in our commitment to protecting our greenbelt from development and protecting our farm families and rural agricultural economy,” Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said in a news release.
In Hamilton, Mayor Fred Eisenberger said there’s no “need to open up the Greenbelt for business.”
“It’s unfortunate if the prov- ince leaves this sort of decision up to individual municipalities. I think it risks pitting municipality against municipality.”
Lynda Lukasik, executive director of Environment Hamilton, called the proposed changes a “Wild West approach to planning.”
If passed, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act would allow cities to seek ministerial approval to pass open-for-business bylaws to accommodate developments that create jobs —100 in larger cities and 50 jobs in municipalities with fewer than 250,000 people.
Those approvals would supersede existing restrictions under the Greenbelt Act and other legislated safeguards. The Progressive Conservatives say the goal is to expedite municipal planning approvals.
“We have heard loud and clear from municipalities and job creators — there is too much red tape and it can take years for businesses to navigate the development approvals process,” Minister Steve Clark said in a statement.
Meed Ward, however, said she does “not see Burlington using this legislation, if it is passed. “At the same time, we’ll do everything we can to ensure Burlington is open for business.”
In 2005, the previous Liberal government championed the 810,000-hectare Greenbelt to protect natural areas and farmland in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. It dovetails with the Niagara Escarpment Plan in Hamilton and Burlington, the Oak Ridges Moraine and the anti-sprawl Places to Grow.
On Monday, Clark reiterated the Tories have been “clear that we will protect the Greenbelt and will not support proposals in contrast with that commitment.” But for MacTavish, Bill 66 “raises alarm bells.” Burlington must maintain its urbanrural balance, he said. “Otherwise, they’re going to pave over the entire city.” Where and how to grow was the topic of intense debate in Burlington during October’s municipal election.
Hamilton, unlike Burlington, has room to grow, says city planning chief Steve Robichaud. That includes a new employment area by the Hamilton airport, where an industrial warehouse developer recently purchased 33 hectares for about $27 million.