Greenbelt not ‘open for business,’ Hamilton and Burlington mayors say

Thestar.com
December 11, 2018
Teviah Moro

Farmer David MacTavish has no interest in seeing the countryside carved up for development, even a little bit.

“We kind of like our perfect little spot up here in north Burlington,” he says about his 50-acre farm on Walkers Line. “And we’d like to do everything to protect that.”

New Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward does “not see Burlington” using new provincial legislation that, if passed, would allow municipalities to override Greenbelt protections in some cases.

MacTavish is worried what could happen if the province passes a provision in Bill 66 that would enable municipalities to open up the Greenbelt to development.

He’s not alone. Since Premier Doug Ford’s government announced the proposed changes Thursday, local municipal leaders have registered their concern about changes to the planning policy.

“We stand firm in our commitment to protecting our greenbelt from development and protecting our farm families and rural agricultural economy,” Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said in a news release.

In Hamilton, Mayor Fred Eisenberger told The Spectator there’s no “need to open up the Greenbelt for business.”

“It’s unfortunate if the province leaves this sort of decision up to individual municipalities. I think it risks pitting municipality against municipality.”

Lynda Lukasik, executive director of Environment Hamilton, called the proposed changes a “Wild West approach to planning.”

If passed, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act would allow cities to seek ministerial approval to pass open-for-business bylaws to accommodate developments that create jobs -- 100 in larger cities and 50 jobs in municipalities with fewer than 250,000 people.

Those approvals would supersede existing restrictions under the Greenbelt Act and other legislated safeguards. The Progressive Conservatives say the goal is to expedite municipal planning approvals.

 “We have heard loud and clear from municipalities and job creators -- there is too much red tape and it can take years for businesses to navigate the development approvals process,” Minister Steve Clark said in a statement.

Meed Ward, however, said she does “not see Burlington using this legislation, if it is passed. “At the same time, we’ll do everything we can to ensure Burlington is open for business.”

In 2005, the previous Liberal government championed the two-million-acre Greenbelt to protect natural areas and farmland in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

It dovetails with the Niagara Escarpment Plan in Hamilton and Burlington, the Oak Ridges Moraine and the anti-sprawl Places to Grow.

During his campaign, Ford was caught on camera telling developers he’d open up the Greenbelt if elected. He later said he wouldn’t “touch” it.

On Monday, Clark reiterated the Tories have been “clear that we will protect the Greenbelt and will not support proposals in contrast with that commitment.”

But for MacTavish, Bill 66 “raises alarm bells.” Burlington must maintain its urban-rural balance, he said. “Otherwise, they’re going to pave over the entire city.”

Where and how to grow was the topic of intense debate in Burlington during October’s municipal election.

Candidates sparred over downtown’s rising skyline. Incumbent mayoral candidate Rick Goldring proposed the land-crunched city annex Waterdown from Hamilton. Meed Ward dismissed the pitch as “recklessness,” arguing the city of about 185,000 was well on track to meet provincial growth targets.

Hamilton, unlike Burlington, has room to grow, says city planning chief Steve Robichaud.

That includes a new employment area by the Mount Hope airport, where an industrial warehouse developer recently purchased 82 acres for about $27 million.

Lukasik hopes the council recognizes the importance of channelling development to airport lands and brownfields instead of prime agricultural land. “There should be absolutely no reason to be considering this type of development.”

Eisenberger acknowledged the city has previously sought “adjustments” to the Greenbelt, but only under the auspices of a formal, public review.

“The goal should not be to shrink or weaken the Greenbelt ... It’s an important protection that should be valued by cities.”

About 79 per cent of Hamilton, or 219,500 acres, is rural, Robichaud noted.

Not all of that is in the Greenbelt. Some is “whitebelt,” between the urban boundary and rural area and not subject to the legislation’s restrictions.

At 9,143 acres, Hamilton has the lowest supply of “whitebelt” lands in the GTHA, notes a recent report by planning consultants Malone Given Parsons.

It also has the second-highest supply of land with uses that are still to be determined, 2,717 acres, all in the Elfrida expansion area, the November report noted.

On efficiency, Robichaud suggested city planning staff have already achieved what the Ford government wants.

Applications are handled within at least a year, he said.

“From that perspective, we’ve done as much as we can to work with the development community to streamline our process.”

Robichaud said one potential use of the province’s proposal is enabling existing businesses to operate legally in the Greenbelt.

It could apply to a farmer who repairs tractors out of a small welding shop but whose client base is growing, for example.

“This tool would recognize that situation.”

The proposed open-for-business planning tool is subject to a 45-day Environmental Registry of Ontario public commenting period.