(Toronto) On February 24th, 2005 the McGuinty government stated that the Greenbelt would “protect greenspace and contain urban sprawl in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.” One year after the McGuinty government’s plan to create a 1.8 million acre  band of natural spaces and agricultural lands (including the previously protected Niagara Escarpment and Oak Ridges Moraine) was enacted, has the Greenbelt curbed sprawl or encouraged more leapfrog development onto our region’s greenspace?

After several years of unbridled sprawl in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), Earthroots welcomed the Province’s return to the land use planning process under the new Liberal government. However, Earthroots expressed concern during the Greenbelt Plan public consultation process that the Greenbelt would be too small in size and the plan contained too many loopholes to truly curb sprawl. In fact, Earthroots suggested that the Greenbelt, as proposed, might even unintentionally promote leapfrog development in regions outside of its boundaries.

When considering the fact that in Simcoe County, where the Bond Head development will increase the community to 115, 000 people living in a low-density development with no public transportation, and in Alliston, where the population is slated to grow from 11,400 to 21,100, Earthroots’ concerns may have been warranted.

Between 2002 and 2003, when the Greenbelt Act was introduced, Simcoe County development applications more than doubled from 23 to 55.

“Earthroots supports the McGuinty government’s effort to protect greenspace in the Greater Golden Horseshoe region”, said Josh Matlow, Earthroots’ Director of Campaigns.  “However, the current Greenbelt Plan may be unintentionally encouraging leapfrog urban sprawl onto rural communities just outside of its boundaries.”

While Earthroots is encouraged by recent announcements like the one to protect Boyd Park, the Greenbelt Plan still does not adequately address the realities of urban sprawl and loss of greenspace in the GGH.

In Richmond Hill, the Province is failing to protect their own Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation legislations. The proposed 19th Avenue extension of the York Durham Sewer System (“Big Pipe”) would rip through one of the Greenbelt’s most sensitive areas, the Oak Ridges Moraine, and violate both Acts.  In the short term, this pipe would facilitate large, low-density subdivisions in the area in the North Leslie and West Gormley lands - both are currently being debated before the OMB. There will be further growth onto greenspace as a result of the pipe’s extension as it will have the capacity to serve a population the size of Newmarket, Aurora, and Oak Ridges combined.

As well, the government, through its Proposed Growth Plan for the GGH, has proposed several new highways in the GTA. The Mid-Peninsula highway and the 407 East extension would drive right through the protected Greenbelt area.

“Highways are the infrastructure for urban sprawl”, says Josh Matlow.  “One can’t talk about curbing sprawl while building new highways at the same time.” Earthroots contends that, while they’re not houses, highways are another form of development that have no place in a protected area. Highways disrupt wildlife corridors, add to air pollution and further facilitate urban sprawl.

“The Greater Golden horseshoe needs a strong and dynamic Greenbelt to stem the tide of unbridled development”, says Matlow.  “This one-year anniversary of the Greenbelt is a perfect opportunity for the government to improve on the good work they started a year ago.”

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For more information, please contact:

Josh Matlow, Earthroots’ Director of Campaigns at

416 599-0152 x14, 416 809-5674 (cell), This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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