Greenbelt safe from Region for now

Province says NO to Region

Durham Region submitted a request to the Minister of Municipal Affairs to make changes to the Greenbelt Plan to delete certain lands near the Courtice Urban Area in north Courtice (2 parcels), a parcel in Pickering and one in Ajax. They also wanted to add lands into the Greenbelt south of Hwy 2 in Courtice. My comments on this can be found here: "Greenbelt a Goner in North Courtice?"

The Honourable John Gerretsen, Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing has now given his answer to the Region - "NO".

In his letter to Regional Chair Roger Anderson, Gerretsen wrote, "The Act is now law and the Plan boundary is final. No further changes to the Greenbelt boundary and policies are being considered at this time."

In May, Clarington Council followed Clarington Planning Department's recommendations and voted to NOT support amendments to the boundaries of the Greenbelt Plan at this time. The vote, however, was not unanimous. Councillor Jim Schell voted against recommendations of Clarington Planning Department and against the motion. Jim Schell was also a member of the Regional Planning Committee who came up with this plan to remove lands from the Greenbelt and supported the removal. The Region (and Jim Schell) wanted to include these lands as "future development area", but Clarington voted against the changes. See "Kudos to Clarington Council" and "Clarington disagrees with Region on Greenbelt" for more on this. Thanks to the rest of Clarington Council for their vote to keep the lands within the Provincial greenbelt designation.