Many of you are aware that the Province wants your opinion re the proposed expansion of the Greenbelt and the deadline for comments is fast-approaching (March 7).
On Saturday, February 24, you will have the opportunity to voice your opinion on how you would like our water, wetlands, forests etc. protected through Greenbelt expansion.
We are pleased to invite you and your friends and neighbours to join us for a “Letter Writing Social” with Margaret Prophet of Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition (SCGC) from Noon to 2:00 pm on February 24 at Innisfil’s ideaLAB & Library in Alcona, 967 Innisfil Beach Rd.
Margaret will lead us through a fun and informal way of taking action and connecting with our community while we prepare our comments to send to the Province.
Bring your laptops, tablets, phones or paper and Margaret will provide the framework and the key messages that SCGC has researched and prepared.
Please RSVP to info@innisfilaction.com as soon as possible to confirm how many will be attending. Refreshments will be served.
Link to Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition to learn more about the importance of the expansion of the Greenbelt into Simcoe County:
http://www.simcoecountygreenbelt.ca/learn_more
Town of Innisfil Town Submission to Consultation on “Protecting Water for Future Generations: Growing the Greenbelt in the Outer Ring:
Overall, the Town supports planning efforts to protect our water resources, but Staff feel that a potential Greenbelt expansion could result in an unnecessary duplication of both provincial and local level planning policies that are already in place to protect our water resources – both directly and indirectly. Particularly, the source water protection planning efforts led by the Province, combined with the designation of “Key Natural Heritage Features and Key Natural Hydrologic Features” in the Town’s newly adopted “Our Place” Official Plan, indicate that an expansion to the Greenbelt would not be required to protect surface water recharge and discharge areas from development in the Town of Innisfil.This observation is further reinforced by recent Provincial mapping that implements natural heritage and agricultural policies limiting development outside settlement areas. An expanded Greenbelt boundary into Innisfil would also challenge the Town’s ability to plan to achieve the Provincial vision for the future growth of Innisfil’s Primary Settlement Area (Alcona) and the Innisfil Heights Strategic Settlement Employment Area. The Town appreciates the opportunity to provide comments at this early stage of the process and looks forward to future rounds of consultation with the Province as it considers a potential expansion of the Greenbelt boundary.
Link to Town of Innisfil Response:
https://innisfil.civicweb.net/FileStorage/ED24E6107788464EA371A08643CC0B72-Town%20Submission%20to%20Consultation%20on%20_Protecting%20.pdf