Positive Caledon Review Follow-up

Below is a cheery update following the Caledon Review meeting last Thursday night on March 26^th. 

"Hello Sierra friends and supporters,

The Greenbelt Review event on Thursday night, March 26^th, in Caledon was crowded, maybe 300 there, with many provincial representatives, councillors, and also members of the Advisory Panel that will process the information from all 16 town Halls across the Golden Horseshoe. 

We sat at tables of 10, debating 6 topics – protecting land – creating jobs – liveable communities – climate change – moving people – and realigning the plans. Debates were lively and interesting, and support for strengthening and realigning Greenbelt legislation was overwhelming.

My table included 4 Caledon farmers so we held plenty of discussion about how to protect farmland, for example, by establishing buffer zones around farms near development areas.  Farmers also said that farms could not be considered in isolation, that farms and farmers operate within an economic and social system, much like any ecosystem, and that applying this approach would help them to become more sustainable.  

At the end, each table handed in its collective workbook and a lot of us handed in our individual ones as well.  The moderator again urged that all ideas and suggestions be submitted in writing, and he again referred us all to the MMAH website to do this.

Please consider attending one or more of the 15 Town Halls in the Golden Horseshoe, or submit your ideas on line. There is good momentum for strengthening our Greenbelt and your ideas are important.

If you live in Peel, please come out to Mississauga's Urban River Valley Greenbelt evening, to be announced later this year.  We can do something practical to support the Greenbelt locally, by enjoying a piece of it in our own Credit River valley.

More at a later date,

Thaia Jones

Sierra Club, Peel Group"