When it comes to what is being proposed to change Ontario’s Greenbelt boundaries – it is not much according to Puslinch Mayor Dennis Lever.
On Jan. 18, councillors reviewed information from Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro.
Lever said the closest impact is a minor change in Glen Williams (north of Georgetown).
“After a lot of fanfare, there doesn’t seem to be much change,” he said.
While Lever was quite happy not to see the Greenbelt expanded he was disappointed to see no response to the township’s request for the exclusion of lands on either side of Highways 401 and 6 in Puslinch.
Councillor Matthew Bulmer questioned whether this was the final change.
Lever said “these are the proposed changes … at this point.”
At the same time, the province was offering more consultation.
Therefore there is another round of discussion and Lever anticipates even more pressure from municipalities.
Councillor Ken Roth then asked “should we re-request our request (to exclude a portion of lands on either side of the 401 and Highway 6)?”
Lever believed that approach would be wise.
“They are still taking input for ‘round two’.”
The Greenbelt boundary changes currently being proposed are based on a review of requests for boundary changes submitted since the creation of the Greenbelt, including during the almost-two-year consultation period for the Co-ordinated Land Use Planning Review, and a review of related technical information, as well as further information provided by municipalities, conservation authorities and landowners.
The government received over 700 site-specific requests related to the Greenbelt plans.
