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| Picture of horseshoe wood trail |
The Greenbelt Act is one of the key elements of the McGuinty government’s agenda to protect greenspace and contain urban sprawl in the Golden Horseshoe. The act was passed by the legislature on February 24, 2005 and is now law.
“This is an important milestone in our government’s plan for healthy growth in Ontario,” said John Gerretsen, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “By making better choices about where and how we live, we are ensuring that Ontario is the place to be now and in the future.”
The act gives the government the authority to establish a greenbelt plan that contains broad objectives for the protection of environmental and agricultural land in the Golden Horseshoe. The plan would include the map of the greenbelt area, and would detail the policies needed to protect land in the greenbelt area from urban development and sprawl.
Other elements of the legislation include ensuring that the total area protected by the greenbelt can grow, but cannot shrink, and requiring the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to create a greenbelt council to provide advice on the administration of the greenbelt plan.
“We are at a critical juncture, and our government has chosen to preserve greenspace and plan intelligently for growth,” said Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of the Environment. “This choice will improve the quality of life for the people of Ontario.”