Province’s river study must not be limited to urban areas

Ontario should consider adding entire rivers as Urban River Valleys in the Greenbelt and not only the section that flows through urban areas.

Considering the entire river valley follows the province’s systems approach in identifying the proposed study area.

The loss of green space to urban development has greatly increased the probability and occurrence of significant regular flooding in southern Ontario during the growing season months of May through October.

The province cannot have it all ways. The province cannot target this portion of the Grand River watershed for the kind of growth it has planned for, and at the same time, permit the natural recharge area for this region to be paved over.

The entire Grand Valley area has a moraine and sand and gravel/glacial drift deposits, but it is not included in the study area.

West of the Niagara Escarpment, the Grand Valley area in Dufferin County and the adjacent Wellington County have coldwater streams and wetlands that are not included in the study area.

This area includes the Luther Marsh, which is designated as a provincially significant wetland and an area of natural and scientific interest.

Not only are flows sustained to the upper Grand River that help to assimilate the treated wastewater for Grand Valley, but also a wetland that can capture nutrients and sediment locally.

The area between Waterloo and Elora/ Fergus has both cold-water streams and wetlands that are a not included in the study area.

These are key areas within the Grand River watershed that are facing challenges and constraints with both assimilative capacity and drinking water supplies.

And there are cold-water streams and wetlands west of Brantford that for some arbitrary reason have not been included even though there is substantial land speculation and development pressures.

Greg Thornton

Kitchener