Ontario Legislature Passes Triantafilopoulos Motion to Expand the Greenbelt

Oakville North-Burlington — Yesterday in the Ontario Legislature, MPPs voted for a motion from MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos to expand Ontario’s Greenbelt.

The motion calls on the Ontario Government to expand the Greenbelt surrounding the GTA. This would include protecting the Paris Galt Moraine as well as many environmentally sensitive river valleys in urban areas.

Ontario’s Greenbelt protects farmlands, forests, wetlands and watersheds. In February the Ontario Government launched a 60-day consultation to seek the public’s advice on plans to expand the Greenbelt. This consultation is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to grow the Greenbelt and could result in the largest expansion of the Greenbelt since 2005.

Quote from Effie Triantafilopoulos, MPP

“Our green spaces are the living, breathing hearts of our communities. That’s why the Greenbelt is so important, as it protects green spaces, farmland and rivers valleys such as 14 Mile Creek and 16 Mile Creek. Expanding the Greenbelt will protect more of our land and waters for future generations. I’m proud the legislature voted for my resolution to expand and I thank all of the individuals and groups that work so hard to protect our Greenbelt and our environment.”

Text of the Motion

“That, in the opinion of this House, the Government of Ontario should support the expansion of the Greenbelt to further protect the province’s environment, groundwater, and agricultural resources for future generations, including portions of the lands focused on the Paris Galt Moraine.”

Quick Facts

  • The Greenbelt includes over two million acres of land and extends 325 km from the eastern end of the Oak Ridges Moraine, near Rice Lake in the east, to the Niagara River in the west.
  • The Paris Galt Moraine is a glacial deposit of loose sediment and rock extending from Caledon to north of Paris and Brantford and is home to critical groundwater resources.
  • The Greenbelt currently contains 21 urban river valleys and associated wetlands. These are the valleys of rivers that pass through cities or towns and act as urban gateways to the Greenbelt.
  • The Niagara Escarpment was protected by the government of Premier Bill Davis in 1973 and the Oak Ridges Moraine by Premier Mike Harris in 2001. Both are now part of the Greenbelt

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Media Contact:     David Lancaster, Executive Assistant

                              david.lancaster@pc.ola.org